


The Not-So Secret Diary Of...

by thilia



Series: The Hogwarts Chronicles [1]
Category: Tokio Hotel
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-05
Updated: 2011-08-05
Packaged: 2017-10-28 23:53:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 32,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/313548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thilia/pseuds/thilia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gustav is a Hufflepuff and secretly in love with Georg, the Gryffindor's star Quidditch seeker. Only, one day... Gustav accidentally leaves his personal diary behind in the library and Georg is the one to find it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Parallel fic to Brother, Lover, Whatever.

Gustav is a Hufflepuff and secretly in love with Georg, the Gryffindor's star Quidditch seeker. Only, one day... Gustav accidentally leaves his personal diary behind in the library and Georg is the one to find it.

 

Not taking his eyes off the doors for even a second, Gustav sipped his pumpkin juice and tapped his fingers on the wooden table. The other students in the Great Hall were busy finishing some last-minute homework and sharing the latest gossip, but even if he hadn't finished all his schoolwork the night before, Gustav wouldn't be able to focus on anything but those two huge wooden doors right now.

It wasn't that he was admiring the dark wood or the ornaments on it, or the golden doorknobs that shone in the bright morning sun. No, he was waiting for something to happen. Something that always was and always would be the first highlight of his every day.

He was late, though, Gustav thought as he glanced at his watch. But it couldn't take much longer. He never skipped breakfast.

Gustav could feel him even before he actually opened those doors and walked through them, and Gustav found himself shivering and holding his breath as he watched Georg Moritz Hagen Listing, Star Quidditch Seeker of Gryffindor, enter the Great Hall. He couldn't even blink as his eyes followed the longhaired boy, making his way towards his friends at the Gryffindor table, and it wasn't until Georg had sat down and reached for a croissant that Gustav remembered to breathe again.

Still unable to take his eyes off the boy he'd been secretly in love with since Day One, he heaved a soft sigh as he watched Georg smile at one of his friends; a smile that seemed to light up his face and was imprinted in Gustav's brain forever. Georg tossed his long hair behind his shoulder, seeming so confident and just _beautiful_ as he tore up the croissant and ate it bit by bit.

Gustav was helplessly in love, and had come to terms with the fact that Georg would never find out about it a long time ago. And it was okay. People like Georg just didn't notice people like him. And even if he _did_ notice Gustav, there was no chance of him ever returning his feelings.

So Gustav kept quiet and watched from afar, grateful for every little moment he could spend ogling the object of his desires. Sometimes he felt like a stalker but it wasn't as if he could help it. Georg was like a magnet and Gustav was drawn to him like a moth to the light.

He wasn't naïve enough to think that he was the only one who was attracted to Georg. Looking around the Great Hall right now, he could tell that at least ten other people were drooling over him. So even if he could bring up the courage to tell Georg how he felt about him, he wouldn't stand a chance. There were other people, prettier people, more confident people, who would probably appeal to Georg more than a slightly chubby, verbally retarded, clumsy Hufflepuff.

Sighing heavily, he finally managed to tear his eyes off the other boy long enough to finish his breakfast and realize that he only had five more minutes to get to his class. Fortunately, they had Potions with the Gryffindors, and Gustav already knew that today's ingredients would probably never see the inside of his cauldron.

***

"Where the fuck is it?" he muttered as he frantically rummaged through his schoolbag, his hands shaking a little when he couldn't find what he was looking for. He groaned in frustration, grabbed the bag and emptied it over his bed, cursing loudly when ink spilled all over his impeccable sheets and his just-finished Transfiguration essay.

"Shit!" Briefly forgetting about his search, he tried to save the parchment and released a relieved breath when he saw that he would only have to rewrite a small part of it.

Discarding the essay, he lifted and tossed aside book after book, his heart sinking when there was no trace of the small, black notebook he was looking for. Brushing his hair back, he looked around the room, trying to retrace his steps and remember where he could've left his diary.

He couldn't even think about how horrible it would be if someone found it. Most of the entries inside it were about that certain someone he'd been crushing on for years now. If someone found out he was in love with him, he would be subjected to even more teasing than before. And if Georg heard about it…

Gustav felt sick to his stomach just thinking about that possibility.

He closed his eyes and tried to breathe. _Where could it be? THINK, goddammit!_

He ran a hand through his hair and realised that it could only be in the library. He left everything where it was and tried not to run as he left the dorm, the common room and hurried back to the library, praying to whatever deity was up there that no one had found his diary yet. The consequences would be fatal for him.

He stopped for a moment to catch his breath before he went inside, scanning the room briefly before walking straight to the table he'd been sitting at before as he'd been finishing his essay.

Before he was even halfway there, he froze. He sucked in a sharp breath and felt his face go white as he spotted his diary. He'd been hoping he'd dropped it on the floor and that no one would've noticed it in the short time since he'd left the library.

The notebook was not on the floor, however, and it wasn't closed and sealed with a spell either. Not anymore. It was open, and in the hands of the last person Gustav had ever wanted it to be.

Still frozen to the spot, Gustav watched in horror as Georg "The God" Listing turned another page of his diary, his brows furrowing as his eyes flitted over the pages covered with Gustav's neat handwriting. He looked deep in thought, and Gustav knew that there was no way Georg could've missed his own name, as it was mentioned at least ten times on every page. He realized that he had to seem like a perverted stalker, and to an outsider, it probably looked like Georg was the only thing he thought about all day.

 _They wouldn't be that wrong about that,_ his brain supplied helpfully and Gustav stifled an embarrassed groan.

He had to do something. He wasn't sure what, but he knew he had to do something now, before things got worse. He had to go over there, tear the book from Georg's hands and yell at him for invading his privacy like this. It would ruin any (non-existent) chance he'd ever had with the other boy, but at least he wouldn’t be humiliated even more.

Sucking in a deep breath, Gustav made to take a step, but rather than forward, he whirled around and bolted out of the library before Georg could notice him. He walked until he reached an empty corridor, and leaned against the cool stone wall as he tried to suppress the tears of embarrassment and humiliation that threatened to roll down his cheeks.

Once again, Gustav's confidence and braveness had left him, and fucked him over royally. Now Georg had his diary and could read the whole thing; even his most private, personal, perverted fantasies. He would know him inside out, and Gustav wouldn't be able to show his face around the castle come tomorrow.

He rubbed his face and slid down onto the floor, trying to breathe. What was he going to _do_?

He had options, of course. He could leave. He could pack his things tonight when his dorm mates were asleep, leave the castle and go somewhere far, far away where no one knew him. No one would be able to track him down. He doubted anyone would even notice.

The other option was to change his name and become a different person. Gustav Schäfer? He didn't know anyone by that name. Nope. Never heard of him.

He sighed, knowing that there really wasn't a way to get out of this mess he'd got himself into. He would have to face his fate and hope that something else would happen soon, so that people wouldn't be laughing about his epic crush on Georg for the next two years.

How _stupid_ was he anyway? Why had he used Georg's real name? He could've used a code name – or just written "G". No one would've been able to say for sure that he was talking about Georg that way.

"Fuck," he breathed, banging his head against the wall as a single tear slid down his face.

He was fucked. Thoroughly and epically fucked.

***

The walk to the Great Hall the next morning was the longest and most terrible Gustav had ever had to make. He'd managed to weasel out of dinner the night before by pretending he was sick, but he knew he couldn't fake illness forever. He had to face this, and the sooner it was over, the better, right?

He was surprised that no one was staring at him as he entered the Great Hall, though. Maybe it was too early for everyone to know, and word hadn't travelled yet. He could only hope it would take another ten years; maybe by that time, he would be over Georg and be able to laugh about it all.

Right now, however, Gustav didn't feel like laughing. He didn't even feel like eating; something that never happened. His stomach growled in protest, announcing hunger, as he shoved his plate away. He was sure anything he tried to eat would be coming out again within seconds. So he just sipped some water and buried his face in a book, unable to keep his heart from racing as he waited for the dreaded moment when Georg would show up for breakfast.

The back of his neck prickled when a soft breeze caressed his skin, and even without looking up, he knew Georg was there. He'd arrived, and the torture would begin.

It wasn't that Georg was an asshole. Gustav couldn't be in love with someone who randomly tortured helpless students. But boys their age usually couldn't handle the idea of a boy being in love with them, so Gustav was sure that, even though Georg was an amazingly good person, he would tell his closest friends at the very least, and then the rumours would start.

He glanced up for just a second when Georg walked past the Hufflepuff table, not daring to look at him for a moment longer for fear of making Georg realise he was being stared at. He pinned his eyes to the book and only dared to look up again when Georg was seated and talking to his friends.

So far, so good. But Gustav knew better than to think everything would be fine. It just didn't work that way for people like him.

Breakfast was uneventful, and Gustav had to admit that he was a little surprised. Still, no one seemed to even notice he existed. It seemed to be just an ordinary day but Gustav refused to relax. Sooner or later, something would happen, and the fact that it was taking so long gave him the horrible feeling that it was going to be even worse than he'd expected.

He'd made his way through half the building on his way to the first lesson of the day when he realised that he had no idea where he was going. He'd forgotten where he was supposed to be at this time on a Wednesday morning, so he reached for his timetable and checked.

His heart sank when he remembered that he had Transfiguration.

With the Gryffindors.

He would be in the same classroom as Georg and the rest of his class.

He took a shaky breath and considered running to the hospital wing and hexing himself to make them give him a pass for the next three weeks. He could make it look like a terrible accident. But he knew it was ridiculous to even consider it. With a heavy heart, he made his way to the Transfiguration classroom and sat down in his seat, once again keeping his eyes fixed on the book in front of him as if it was the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen in his life.

He actually didn't like Transfiguration all that much. But that was beside the point.

He didn't turn around when he heard the group of Gryffindors entering the room, and kept his eyes glued to McGonagall once she started her lesson. He desperately hoped she wouldn't call on him – there was still a chance that Georg hadn't figured out who Gustav Schäfer was.

The teapot he was supposed to transform into a pen ended up looking more like a long piece of soap but at least focusing on this helped him keep his mind off Georg. He was about to give the transfiguration another try when something flew over his shoulders and he blinked stupidly when he saw the small, folded piece of paper on his desk.

He didn't dare turn around but it took him two full minutes before he finally made himself pick it up, unfold it and stare at the elegant handwriting in red ink. It took three more minutes before the words finally made sense to him and registered.

 _Come to the lake tonight after dinner. –Georg_

Gustav's heart skipped a beat and he swallowed around the lump in his throat, wondering if he'd misinterpreted the message or if the sender of the message really was Georg.

Before he could do anything stupid – or reply – the bell rang to announce the end of the lesson, and when he finally turned around and got up on shaky legs, Georg was long gone.

Gustav licked his dry lips and leaned against his desk, only coming back to reality when a concerned-looking McGonagall stood before him and asked him if he was all right. He managed to nod, then left the classroom swiftly, wondering how he could get through this day alive.

***

A chilly breeze ruffled his hair as Gustav paced, looking around nervously every few seconds. He was quite convinced that he'd dreamed the appearance of the note on his desk, or that he'd misinterpreted the words, or that Georg and his friends were hiding in the bushes, having a good laugh while Gustav was slowly turning into a nervous wreck.

He stared at the lake, taking his hundredth deep breath of the day and closing his eyes as he came to the conclusion that this meeting wasn't happening. Georg probably had better things to do than to meet up with some random Hufflepuff who had an obsession with him.

He sighed and turned around, gasping when he collided with a hard body and ended up on his arse on the ground, his glasses slightly askew from the impact of the fall.

"Oh fuck, sorry," a voice Gustav knew all too well breathed, and a moment later, a hand appeared in front of his face.

Gustav looked up slowly and experienced what he was sure had to be a small heart attack when he looked into the kind, and currently apologetic, green eyes of Georg Listing. He reached for the hand almost unconsciously, a shiver running through him at the skin-on-skin contact. He managed to get to his feet and pulled his hand back, sliding both of them into the pockets of his robes.

He was quite sure his cheeks were a rich, deep red by now, and he couldn't bring himself to meet the other boy's eyes again.

"You're Gustav Schäfer, right?" the other boy's voice interrupted his thoughts again, and Gustav made the decision to at least try to understand what Georg was saying, even though the English language sounded like Chinese to him for a moment. When he realized he'd been asked a question, he opened his mouth. He was socially awkward to say the least, but he had to get through this. Maybe tomorrow, he could get back to his normal life, and Georg wouldn't hate him forever.

"Yes." His voice came out as a whisper and Gustav cleared his throat, giving a brief nod. "Yeah," he repeated in a steadier voice.

"Hi," Georg said – and did Gustav imagine it or did he actually seem nervous?

He had to be imagining it. People like Georg Listing just didn't get nervous.

Georg cleared his throat and reached into his bag to pull out the blasted diary that may have ruined Gustav's life forever. "I, uh… I found this in the library last night. I had to open it – there was no name on the outside, and I wanted to return it to the owner. To you," he corrected himself after a moment, then held out the book for Gustav to take.

Gustav blinked stupidly before realising that he would have to take his hands out of his pockets to reach for the book, and after a moment, he did. "Thank you," he said softly, his cheeks flushing again when their fingers brushed.

"I didn't read it," Georg continued, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other, then brushed a strand of that long, silky hair behind his ear; a gesture that instantly made Gustav fall even more in love with him. Why was everything that boy did so utterly fascinating to Gustav?

"I mean…" Georg trailed off, then licked his lips and went on, "I didn't _want_ to read it but when I opened it, I happened to see my name, and I was a little stunned by all the, err, compliments and…" He sighed, obviously frustrated with what he was saying. "You write about me quite a lot."

Gustav's cheeks heated up and he swallowed hard. "I thought you didn't read it," he whispered, unable to speak any louder as humiliation washed over him. For a moment, he'd dared to hope, but obviously, a secret diary was too tempting for anyone to just give it back without having a little peek.

"I didn't," Georg hurried to explain. "But I did read one entry, and… I was… well, surprised. I mean, I had no idea you-"

"Existed?" Gustav supplied helpfully, then cursed his mouth for always saying the wrong things at the wrong time.

Georg's brows furrowed momentarily, and he shook his head. "No. I had no idea you were into guys."

Gustav's eyebrows shot up. He opened his mouth to say something, but wasn't sure what. So he closed it again and waited for Georg to continue – or leave. He was actually expecting him to leave; it had to happen sooner or later.

When Georg didn't say anything, Gustav just shrugged. "Well… yes. I am. Obviously." He looked at Georg cluelessly, not sure what was going on.

Georg rubbed the back of his neck. "What I'm trying to say is that I am, too. I mean… I might be into both. Girls and boys, I mean. I only figured out that I might be bisexual very recently and I…" He bit his lip. "I thought I was the only one here at school. And when I read your diary-"

"I thought you didn't read it." Gustav's mouth had apparently developed a life of its own and he smacked himself mentally.

Georg tilted his head and gave him a look. "I read that one entry," he said firmly, and Gustav could tell that he was telling the truth. "What I wanted to tell you is that, if you ever want to hang out, or even go out, I'd… love to."

 _That_ stunned Gustav into silence. His mouth was hanging a little open and he could only blink stupidly as he tried to make sense of what Georg was saying.

He wanted to hang out? _Go_ out? With _HIM_?

Something very weird was going on here. Either the world was about to end, or Gustav was the victim of a giant prank. That had to be it.

Gustav tried not to show his disappointment and just nodded dumbly as he looked down at his diary – the source of all evil.

"That's very nice of you to say," he said quietly. "But I don't like being made fun of. I mean, I'm sure you'll have a good laugh with your friends and all, but…"

He trailed off, meeting Georg's slightly confused eyes for a moment. "I should go," Gustav murmured, and walked past the other boy, leaving a stunned and clearly confused Georg behind.

He'd made a few steps before he felt a hand wrap around his wrist, and he was being yanked back. He was about to snap at Georg but before he could do anything, two warm hands cupped his cheeks and Georg's lips were pressed against his own in a surprisingly gentle kiss.

Even if Gustav had tried to, he wouldn't have been able to move, so he stood there dumbly while he was kissed. Georg finally drew back, his eyes still closed, and Gustav tried very hard to understand what was happening.

Had Georg Listing just _kissed_ him? Surely, this had to be a dream. A very good dream, but still a dream.

"Think about it," Georg said when he opened his eyes, looking down into Gustav's. He looked beyond beautiful in the pale light of the moon. "I want to spend time with you, get to know you. I've noticed you but I didn't know your name, and… Just promise me you'll think about it. If you don't want to give it a try – okay. No hard feelings. But… I'd really like it if we could be friends, at least."

Slightly calloused fingertips brushed his cheekbone as Georg's lips descended upon his own one more time. When he drew back, Gustav's legs were shaky and he tried to breathe.

With a swish of dark robes, Georg started making his way back up to the castle a moment later, leaving a thoroughly confused and slightly trembling Gustav on his own in the cold, dark night.


	2. Chapter 2

Back in his room, Gustav tried to sleep. He was in his pyjamas, teeth brushed, face washed, curtains drawn – but he couldn't seem to relax and let sleep wash over him. Too recent were the events of the night, and he was still trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Over and over, he recapped the events of the night, trying to understand them.

He had been watching Georg since his first day at Hogwarts. Their eyes had met a couple of times over the years, but that was all. But Georg had said he'd _noticed_ him. And to notice him, he had to look at Gustav, right? But with Gustav's eyes on Georg whenever they were in the same room – how was it possible that Gustav had missed the other boy looking at _him_?

He rubbed his forehead and stared up at the dark ceiling. Once again, he lifted his fingers to his lips; lips that were still tingling from the kiss Georg had given him. He could still feel the other boy's hands on his cheeks, firm and gentle at the same time, as he'd leaned forward and pressed those beautiful, soft lips to Gustav's.

He had been _kissed_. He still couldn't believe that had really happened, and was half-convinced that he'd imagined it. It had been his first kiss, unsurprisingly, and his heart skipped a beat whenever he realised that he'd got his first kiss from the Love of his Life.

He rolled onto his side, trying once again to close his eyes and fall asleep, but he knew he couldn't do that until he knew what he was going to do. Georg expected an answer. Georg expected him to say hello to him and tell him if Gustav wanted to 'hang out' with him – and maybe even date him.

Of course, Gustav didn't have to even think about his answer. It was obvious that he would say yes – yes to hanging out and yes to dating. But at the same time, his heart began to speed up whenever he imagined spending time with Georg. He was nervous – _beyond_ nervous. Even when there was a safe distance between them, Gustav's brain shut down whenever he looked at Georg, which would be a Very Bad Thing in a situation where he would actually have to _talk_ to him.

There was another problem, though. Gustav wasn't sure how to approach Georg. Just walking up to him and addressing the previous night… he wasn't sure he could do that. Georg was rarely alone; always surrounded by his friends and admirers, so it would be nearly impossible to catch him on his own.

Finally giving up on sleep entirely, Gustav sat up and reached for his glasses and wand, murmuring, "Lumos". He slid his glasses onto his nose, then grabbed the diary that was now safely hidden under his pillow. He wasn't going to ever take it with him again – the risks of losing it and someone unwanted finding it were too great. He opened the book with another spell, then gently caressed the note Georg had sent him earlier, looking down at the words on the yellowish parchment – and realising that this had to be the only way to contact Georg without making a fool of himself. He would send him a note; that way, he could think about what he was going to say, and (probably) wouldn't die while waiting for Georg to reply.

He turned a few pages in his diary, wondering which entry it was that Georg had read. He hoped it was one of the less embarrassing ones. He still wasn't sure if Georg really _had_ only read one entry; he knew he himself wouldn't be able to resist reading the whole thing. But Georg was a Gryffindor – honourable and all that stuff – so he was quite sure the other boy had told him the truth.

He flipped to the end of the notebook and tore out a page, using a spell to cut off the edge of it. Then he reached for his quill and thought for a long moment before writing the short letter he planned to give to Georg the next morning.

Satisfied with his words, he folded the paper and made sure it was safely tucked into the diary before he turned off the light on his wand, and slid back under the covers. It took another few minutes before he finally succumbed to his exhaustion, but when he did, he dreamed of Georg and those beautiful lips against his own…

***

"So. Are you going to tell me where you disappeared to last night after dinner?"

Georg rolled his eyes; this was the third time in about ten minutes that Tom had asked him this question, and he still wasn't inclined to answer. He ate a waffle and glanced over to the Hufflepuff table, smiling when his eyes met Gustav's, and the other boy flushed and looked down. God, he was adorable…

"Who're you looking at?" Tom's poke brought him back to reality a moment later, and he gave his friend a slightly annoyed look as he finished his waffle.

"No one," he said matter-of-factly. He wasn't going to reveal his interest in Gustav just yet; not until he knew what the other boy's answer would be. He wasn't sure Gustav was comfortable with anyone knowing about them, so until he'd discussed this with him, Tom would have to suffer – which was something Georg enjoyed immensely. His friend wasn't used to being denied anything, so Georg made sure to torture him whenever he could.

"You so are," Tom grumbled. He sat up and eyed Georg sceptically while Georg just smiled innocently and finished his pumpkin juice. "Did you meet a girl? Is she with someone else? Is that the reason you don't want anyone to know?"

Georg snorted and shook his head, brushing his hair behind his shoulder as he leaned back. "No, no, and no. And now back off, Tom. I'm not going to tell you, so you might as well give up."

"But whyyy?" Tom whined, making Georg chuckle. Then he got up, since classes were about to start.

"Because," he said, shouldering his bag, "you don't have to know everything."

Ignoring Tom's indignant gasp, he turned around and walked away, risking another glance at the Hufflepuff table as he did and biting his lip in disappointment when he saw that Gustav had already left. Oh well. He would see him in History of Magic at the latest.

The first classes of the day were uneventful, and Georg found himself counting the minutes. He couldn’t wait for it to finally be three o'clock, and he wondered if Gustav was going to talk to him. He knew the other boy was shy, so he wouldn't pressure him. Gustav had been watching him – the diary had revealed that much – but he still didn't know if Gustav was going to say yes to spending time with him. It was exciting, in a way, because usually, Georg didn't have to worry about people saying no to him. Everyone seemed to want him, and while Georg didn't really get what anyone saw in him, he wasn't going to complain.

But with Gustav, it was different. Because this time, he actually desperately _wanted_ him to say yes. He wasn't sure when it had happened, but in the past couple of months, he'd become increasingly infatuated with the Hufflepuff. He knew they'd had classes together for years now, but it wasn't until two months ago that he'd finally really noticed him. It had been an ordinary Potions lesson, and they'd had to brew the Draught of Living Death. Georg had been about to finish his admittedly poor version of the potion when there had been a loud bang. When he'd turned around, Gustav had been bent over his cauldron, his face black, and his short, blond curls standing up in every direction. Everyone had laughed, and the black soot in Gustav's face had been joined by a lovely bright red flush. It had been the most endearing thing Georg had ever witnessed, and from that day on, he'd started paying more attention to the boy, hoping to see that lovely blush again.

He'd been planning to talk to him for a long time now, and the diary had finally given him the opportunity he'd been waiting for. The kiss he'd given him the night before hadn't been planned or expected but it had been necessary to convince Gustav that his intentions were pure. Georg had been thinking about Gustav's lips all night, and wondered if Gustav would ever let it happen again.

Finally, it was time for History of Magic, and Georg's eyebrows shot up when he spotted the folded piece of paper on his desk. He picked it up and slipped it into his pocket, deciding to wait until Tom was asleep – he always used this class to catch up on sleep – before he read it. He glanced up at Gustav, smiling when he found him bent over a book. He knew the note had to be from him.

Professor Binns started the lesson, and like every other student in the room, Georg wasn't sure what he was talking about at all. Beside him, Tom was snoozing and Georg finally retrieved the note from his pocket, unfolding it and reading it eagerly.

 _Georg,_

 _If you're still interested in hanging out, I'd love to. If you've changed your mind, I completely understand and you don't have to feel obligated to say yes – you won't hurt my feelings. But if you do want to meet up sometime… I'd really like to. I have time today after classes. I always have time, actually, so… whenever you want and have time. It doesn't have to be today, though, so take your time and let me know._

 _Gustav_

A smile tugged on the corners of Georg's mouth and he reached for his quill, jotting down a response.

 _Gustav,_

 _Of course I still want to. I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure. I always have time, too. I have Quidditch practice after school, and I'd like it if you came to watch – if you're interested. If not, we could meet up afterwards. By the lake at 8?_

 _Georg_

With a flick of his wand, he sent the note over to Gustav, smiling when the other boy flinched a little. He held his breath as he waited for Gustav's reply, and gave him a smile when Gustav turned around to toss the note back to him. A flush worked its way up Gustav's neck and up to the tips of his ears before he turned around again, and Georg couldn't suppress a small grin.

Then he focused on the note; his grin widening as he read it.

 _Georg,_

 _I'd love to see you play and I'll wait for you after practice. ~~Can't wait~~ I'll see you then._

 _Gustav_

Georg sighed happily, not missing the crossed out words. He thought for another moment, then sent the letter back with the words:

 _I can't wait._

The tips of Gustav's ears were glowing and Georg smiled. Then he leaned back, snorting when Tom suddenly murmured something about trolls in the dungeons and jumped up from his seat as he woke up from what had to have been a nightmare. He managed to calm his friend down and assure him that there were no trolls in the dungeons – and if there were, he would protect him.

For the rest of the lesson, he stared at the back of Gustav's head, smiling to himself as a feeling of excitement for their upcoming meeting spread in his stomach and made his heart speed up.

***

Gustav had never worried about the way he looked before. Having to wear his school uniform and robes every day, he'd never even thought about whether the clothes he wore at home were fashionable or not. But now that he was going on a date – was it even a date? – he found himself rummaging through his closet on the search for something reasonably okay-looking to wear.

Of course he could avoid it by just showing up in robes, but since it _might_ be a date, he wanted to look good for the other boy. He finally settled on jeans and a black and grey jumper, which would hopefully be good enough for Georg.

He stared at himself in the mirror, trying to muss his hair a little but giving up after five minutes because it was a hopeless case. When he was good to go, he pulled on simple black robes over his outfit, and finally left the common room. His grip tightened on his book – which he'd taken in order to make it seem less suspicious for him, a Hufflepuff, to be down there, watching the Gryffindors train – as he walked through the mostly empty corridors on his way down to the Quidditch pitch.

He wasn't terribly interested in Quidditch – not being sportive or talented enough to play himself – but he hadn't missed a single game in his six years at Hogwarts. He loved watching Georg play. Everyone who'd seen the other boy on his broom up in the air knew that he was made to be a Seeker.

His heart skipped a beat when the Gryffindor Quidditch team exited the changing rooms and made their way onto the field in full gear. He held his breath when Georg looked up for a moment; a smile lighting up his face when he spotted Gustav. Gustav's face heated up and he glanced down at his book, only looking up again when Georg was mounting his broom.

He took a moment to admire the other boy's elegance as he pushed himself off and soared up, his hair wild as the wind ruffled it. While the other players were busy throwing Quaffles and Bludgers at each other, Gustav only had eyes for Georg who was circling the field, looking for the Snitch. He doubted Georg actually needed practice at all – he always seemed to be the first one to spot the small, golden ball.

Fifteen minutes later, the book on his lap was forgotten and he still couldn't tear his eyes off Georg. His heart stopped for a moment when Georg's eyes met his, and he even managed a little smile. Georg returned it – but then his eyes focused on something else, and Gustav held his breath, his eyes widening when Georg whirled his broom around and shot in his direction. Turning his head, he spotted the Snitch right beside him.

Seconds later, Georg was in front of him, his hand wrapping around the ball as he gave Gustav a brilliant smile.

"Hey you," Georg said, his voice breathy and slightly raspy. Gustav shivered and felt himself blush yet again.

"Hi," he whispered, but Georg was already gone, his feet touching the ground as he held up the hand that was still firmly wrapped around the Snitch. Practice was over for Georg then, and Gustav's heart picked up its pace as he watched the other boy disappear into the changing rooms after he'd given Gustav a sign to wait for him.

Their date – or hanging out session, or meeting, or… whatever – was about to start, and Gustav could feel a drop of sweat trickling down the back of his neck.

He wasn't ready. He didn't know what to say. What if they ran out of things to say to each other and the date would be a disaster? What if Georg figured out he didn't like him after all? What if…

He closed his eyes as he stood up, forcing himself to be as calm as he could be. If Georg didn't like him, and this was going to be their first and last date, then Gustav would deal with it. He hadn't really allowed himself to get his hopes up in the first place, so no matter what happened, he would be prepared for it.

He made his way to the lake as fast as he could. He'd considered waiting in front of the changing room but had discarded the idea since he wasn't sure if Georg wanted anyone to know they were meeting up. So he waited by the lake, trying not to let panic overcome him.

Needless to say, Gustav had never been on a date before. He didn't have any real friends either. He got along well with most of his housemates, and had some acquaintances he talked to every once in a while but he didn't really belong to a group or clique – not like Georg. He had no experience whatsoever when it came to dates or hanging out with friends, so he hoped he wouldn't screw up his first chance at actually getting a real friend – or, he dared not think about it, boyfriend.

The thought that Georg might actually want to _be_ his boyfriend was still unfathomable to him, so he tried to think small, and hope that at least a friendship with the gorgeous Gryffindor was possible.

He saw movement from the corner of his eyes, so he turned and saw Georg walking towards him. He lost his breath for a moment, wondering how it was possible for one person to be so bloody beautiful. Georg was wearing jeans and a tight t-shirt with a hoodie over it. The tips of his long hair were slightly wet from taking a shower – and that was something Gustav refused to think about because imagining Georg naked and wet, droplets of water sliding down that muscular body would make him hard instantly – and an erection was the last thing he needed right now.

"I'm glad you came," Georg said when he reached him, giving him a sweet smile that made Gustav's knees weak. His own ability to speak seemed to have disappeared, and he rubbed the sweaty back of his neck awkwardly as he tried to return the smile.

"Hello," he said lamely, earning another wide, white smile.

"I was thinking we could take a walk to Hogsmeade," Georg offered after an awkward moment of silence. "I know we're technically not allowed to but…" He trailed off and shrugged, and after swallowing hard, Gustav finally seemed to find his voice.

"Sure!" he said a little too enthusiastically. He'd never done anything forbidden before – but he would do anything for Georg, even break school rules. "I'd love to."

Another smile flitted over Georg's handsome features, and together, they started making their way to the small village on the outskirts of the school grounds. Nervously, Gustav wiped his ridiculously sweaty hands on his trousers, frantically trying to think of something to say to Georg. He wasn't going to assume Georg would lead the conversation, and he wanted to show Georg that he wasn't completely useless.

"You were-"

"I'm glad you-"

They started talking at the same time, and Gustav cursed his bad timing. He flushed, and they both let out a soft chuckle, trying to cover up the awkwardness. Georg slid his hands into his pockets and Gustav clung to the book in his hand, trying desperately to make his heart slow down. If he continued like this, this date would seem like the longest in history. He'd assumed it would be a little awkward but this was going to kill him.

"You first," Georg said with a smile, giving him a sidelong glance.

Gustav cleared his throat, his tongue darting out to wet his dry lips. "I was just going to say that you were amazing before. On the broom, I mean."

He was rewarded with a sweet smile. "Thank you," Georg said. "Do you play?"

Gustav shook his head. "Me? Oh no, no, no. I can't even fly straight. I'm afraid of heights."

"Oh," Georg said, nodding. "Not the best circumstances to become a Quidditch player."

"Yeah," Gustav said, giving him a small smile.

Silence fell over them once again when they reached Hogsmeade and made their way along the path between the colourful shops and houses.

"The Three Broomsticks?" Georg offered after a moment. "I could use a Butterbeer."

Gustav nodded in agreement; maybe walking and talking was not the best combination right now, and things would be less awkward if they could just sit for a while.

The silence was threatening to become even more uncomfortable, so Gustav asked, "What were you going to say before?"

"Hmm?" Georg asked, then smiled. "Oh. Just that I'm glad you agreed to meet me. I was looking forward to this all day."

Gustav's knees gave out at that statement and he stumbled as they reached the Three Broomsticks, and he just managed to grab the doorknob before he'd embarrassed himself even further.

"Oh, uh… thank you," he stammered while Georg just grinned and opened the door, entering the pub. Gustav took a moment to steady himself, his head once again bright red. Taking a deep breath, he followed Georg inside, wondering how much of an idiot Georg already thought he was, and if he was going to make it through this date alive.


	3. Chapter 3

Gustav wrapped his hands around his Butterbeer, trying to ignore the pounding of his heart and resist the urge to lean over and bury his face in Georg's hair. Even though they weren't sitting all that close together, Georg's intoxicating scent was tempting and really hard to ignore.

The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, though, so Gustav didn't feel the pressure of trying to come up with something to say. Georg seemed perfectly content to sit in silence for a while, so Gustav used that moment to clear his head and take a few deep breaths.

Every once in a while, he risked a glance at the other boy, and had to bite his lip hard to suppress a smile when Georg took a sip of Butterbeer and ended up with some foam on his upper lip.

Gustav wanted to lick it off.

"So, you don't play Quidditch… what _do_ you do when you're not blowing up cauldrons?" Georg asked after a moment, and Gustav flushed deeply.

"You remember that?" he asked in a small voice, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

Georg laughed. "It's hard to forget."

Gustav's flush darkened and he stared at his glass. After a moment, his heart skipped a beat when he felt Georg's hand on his own. He looked up at him with wide eyes, biting his bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

"Hey, I didn't mean to offend you," Georg said hesitantly, his deep green eyes curious.

Gustav's brows shot up and he shook his head. "Oh, you didn't offend me. I just… It's embarrassing." He gave a weak shrug, wondering if his face would ever gain back its normal colour.

Georg seemed to relax, and gave him a grin. "No, it was cute. And hey, it's happened to most of us at some point. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Gustav managed a little smile and half-shrugged, half-nodded. "I guess…"

He looked back down at his drink – and did he just imagine it or had Georg moved closer in the past couple of minutes? They were almost sitting next to each other now, and Gustav could practically feel the heat radiating off the other boy, which absolutely didn't help make him feel more relaxed.

"So… what _do_ you do in your free time?" Georg prompted again, and Gustav smacked himself inwardly for forgetting Georg's question. But Georg should get used to it – Gustav tended to forget everything when the other boy was around.

 _Watching you_ , Gustav's brain supplied helpfully and he rolled his eyes at himself.

"I don't know. Homework, reading, writing into my diary…" Belatedly, Gustav realised that he maybe shouldn't have mentioned that, so he added quickly, "Going for walks, just… hanging out. You know; the usual."

Georg nodded but couldn't hide the smirk that passed over his features at the mention of the diary.

"Cool," he said after a moment. "I should read more. Maybe that's why my marks aren't the best."

He grinned sheepishly and took another sip of Butterbeer. "Do you have any siblings? I don't think I've heard the name Schäfer here before…"

Gustav nodded. "I have a sister," he said, glad to finally have something to talk about. "Franziska. She graduated a couple of years ago. She works for the Ministry now." He paused to wet his dry lips. "What about you?"

Georg shook his head. "Nah. I'm an only child. I wish I did have siblings, though. It gets lonely sometimes."

He paused for a moment. "So you're a Pureblood?"

Gustav shook his head. "Halfblood. My mum's a witch and works for the Prophet, my dad's also a journalist but writes for a Muggle newspaper."

"Really," Georg said, and he actually seemed interested. Gustav smiled a little – no one had ever seemed this interested in him before. It was a nice feeling.

"I'm Muggleborn," Georg offered after another moment of silence, and for the first time, Gustav realised that he didn't actually know all that much about the other boy. He knew that he was beautiful, smelled good, was an exceptional Quidditch talent, good at Potions, less good at History of Magic, and that he hung out with the Kaulitz twins – or Tom, at least. But other than that, he didn't really know much about him, and it was amazing to finally find out all those little details he'd been wondering about for years. He wanted to know everything, and would memorise every little fact Georg was willing to share.

Gustav knew he should ask about Georg's parents – what they did and if he got along with them, but before he could even think of a way to word it, Georg asked another question.

"Where do you live anyway? We moved to London recently."

"Cool," Gustav answered; living in London had to be so much more exciting than where he lived. "I live in a small village – you wouldn't even know it."

He reached for his Butterbeer and took a sip. "So, you hang out with the Kaulitz twins?"

Georg smiled and shook his head. "Not really. Tom is my best friend, yeah, but his brother…" He shrugged. "Bill's not around much, considering he's in Slytherin. Besides, they both talk _a lot_ , so it's not always fun to be around them both at the same time."

He grinned. "But yeah, Tom's my mate, and while he can be terribly annoying, he's a great guy."

Georg tapped his fingers on the table. "Who do you hang out with? I don't think I've ever really seen you with anyone."

Gustav shrugged and shook his head, feeling the tips of his ears getting hot again. "I don't really hang out with a specific group. I guess I just… like being alone."

Georg nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "I get that. I wish I could be alone more – but when you're on the Quidditch team and Tom's a good friend of yours… there's not really much opportunity for that."

"Yeah," Gustav said. He couldn't even imagine what it would be like to be as popular as Georg and have people around him all the time. He was sure it would bug him if people were constantly following him around and trying to be his friend. On the other hand, it _would_ be nice to have friends, sometimes.

"So… what's your favourite subject?" Georg asked then, and Gustav seemed to finally manage to relax a little. This wasn't going too badly, was it? Georg asked questions, he answered… Eventually, he would have to ask some questions too, and he was sure it would be okay. Hopefully.

"I don't really have one," Gustav admitted. "I like Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology, but also Defence against the Dark Arts… There isn't really a subject I don't like."

Georg smiled, then laughed. "I dislike most of them – but I do love DADA. I'd like to become an Auror, if my two other plans don't work out."

Gustav raised a brow curiously, and leaned forward unconsciously, not wanting to miss even a single word. "What are your two other plans?"

"Well, Quidditch, obviously," Georg replied, and Gustav nodded – he'd expected that. "But I also love music, so if I could play in a band for a living, that would be great, too."

"You play?" Gustav asked, surprised – and intrigued. He loved music almost more than anything, and the fact that Georg obviously played an instrument made him even more amazing in Gustav's eyes. "What do you play?"

"The guitar and bass," Georg said, smiling. "But only when I'm at home. I brought my guitar in first year, and some idiot ended up breaking it, so… it's a bit too risky. But I do practise a lot at home, yeah. Are you interested in music?"

Gustav nodded. "Very," he said, glad they had finally found a common interest. "I used to play the drums. Still do, actually, but… yeah, only at home." He bit his lip. "Do you want to get together to play sometime?"

Georg's smile widened. "That would be great. We should."

Gustav returned the smile, trying not to show just how ecstatic he was at the prospect of seeing Georg during the summer holidays and playing with him. He'd have to practise a lot to make sure he'd get good enough for Georg.

"So you like Care of Magical Creatures? Do you have any pets?" Georg asked as he reached for his Butterbeer again and took a swig.

Gustav blinked. "Uh… yes. I have an owl," he said. "What about you?"

"A cat," Georg replied, smiling. "She can be a pain in the ass and is really hard to tame – and Tom hates her with a passion, but… I love her."

Gustav smiled; he remembered seeing Georg with a black cat sometimes. She was just as beautiful as he was.

Gustav suddenly noticed that this was the second time Georg had mentioned Tom, and his irrational, jealous side began to wonder if there was something going on between them. If that was the case, then Gustav stood absolutely no chance. Tom was tall, good-looking, funny, confident… He was everything Gustav wasn't, so if Georg had liked him at some point…

He sighed inwardly and closed his eyes. He'd been doing a great job at feeling a little more relaxed and confident, and now the thought of Tom had sent him back to his previous insecurity. Why did he keep doing this to himself? Besides, it wasn't really fair. _Gustav_ had been the one to bring up Tom the first time, so he couldn't complain.

The silence between them stretched again, and Gustav heart picked up its pace. It was his turn to say something. Georg had been the one to ask questions all evening; it was definitely Gustav's turn to come up with the next topic and show some interest in Georg. There were so many things he wanted to ask the other boy, so why couldn't he think of anything now? He rubbed his thumb over the smooth surface of his glass and bit his lip, frantically trying to come up with something to say but his brain refused to cooperate. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, felt his face heat up, and a second later, the words came out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"I could eat your hair!" he blurted out. A second later, his eyes widened, his face paled and he almost died of embarrassment. What on _earth_ had he just said? If he had only complimented Georg's hair, that would've been fine – but his words didn't make any sense whatsoever! Now Georg probably thought he was an odd, hair-eating… something! He licked his lips and cleared his throat, feeling the sweat trickling down the back of his neck. "I mean… your hair is really, really beautiful," he added then, forming the words carefully to make sure he wouldn't utter something completely nonsensical _again_.

He wiped his palms on his jeans and put his hands back on the table, trying not to break the eye contact and look away, no matter how much he wanted to.

Georg seemed caught off guard for a moment, then confused over Gustav's words, before a faint blush tinted his cheeks as he gave Gustav that adorable smile of his, and chuckled softly. "Thank you," he said.

Then he reached over and slid his hand under Gustav's on the table, looking at him with an almost shy expression as he turned his palm up. While Gustav was still trying to process the fact that he'd just made a complete fool out of himself and that Georg didn't even seem to have noticed, his body reacted instinctively, and he turned his own hand around to wrap it around Georg's. Their fingers laced and Gustav's stomach did a little flip when he realised that he was holding hands with Georg Listing. In public, too.

But what if Georg was grossed out by his sweaty palm? What if someone saw them? Would Georg let go of his hand, or keep holding it?

He swallowed hard, trying to calm his breathing, and still looking at the other boy.

"My mum wants me to cut it," Georg said softly, his slightly rough thumb stroking the back of Gustav's hand. "She's been going on about it for ages. Says I look like a hippie."

Gustav shook his head, his fingers tightening around Georg's. "Never cut it," he almost begged. "It's… It's just really gorgeous. Not that you'd look bad with short hair – I don't think you _could_ look bad, no matter what you do with your hair, but…" He shrugged helplessly. "I just love it."

Georg's blush darkened a little but his smile widened. "Thank you. And I won't. I like it the way it is, and if it pisses off my mum… well, that's a great bonus."

He grinned, and Gustav couldn't help grinning back. He felt lightheaded, and doubted it had anything to do with the effects of the Butterbeer. He just felt completely happy for the first time in years, and never wanted this moment to end.

"Do you want another drink or should we head back to the castle?" Georg asked then, and Gustav could feel his stomach tightening in disappointment. He didn't want to leave yet, but a glance at his watch told him that they probably should. They weren't allowed to be here in the first place, and the other students might notice they were missing. Not him, most likely; no one even noticed Gustav when he was right there. But Georg had friends and people who cared about him, so they would most definitely notice his absence.

"It's up to you," Gustav said, wishing Georg would order another drink and prolong their date. He seemed to contemplate it for a moment.

"I think we should get out of here, but I don't want to go back just yet. We could walk back slowly?" he suggested, and was rewarded with a relieved smile from Gustav. So Georg didn't want the date to end yet either.

They got up, letting go of each other's hands in the process, and Gustav immediately missed the warmth of Georg's fingers against his own. He wondered if Georg would take his hand again later.

Georg insisted on paying, and after protesting weakly, Gustav agreed – he would pay next time. If there was a next time.

Outside, a cool breeze caressed their faces as they started walking back to the school. Their arms brushed as they walked next to each other, and Gustav let out a most embarrassing squeak when Georg reached for his hand again. They linked their fingers and Gustav couldn't keep the silly grin off his face as they made their way back to the castle in relative silence.

They reached it much too soon, in Gustav's opinion.

"I'll walk you to your common room," Georg said softly as he opened the door and followed Gustav inside.

"You don't have to," Gustav murmured.

Georg looked over at him and smiled. "But I want to."

Gustav's stomach fluttered and he let Georg lead him through the castle while his mind began to fill with countless questions again. Would Georg expect him to take him inside? Would he want to see his dorm? What if they ran into someone on their way there? Would Georg drop his hand and pretend Gustav had been tutoring him? And what if Georg wanted to kiss him? He'd already done it once before – he probably wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Gustav loved the idea of feeling Georg's lips against his own again, but at the same time, the thought made him nervous. He'd never made out with anyone before – and was convinced that Georg was much more experienced when it came to those things. In fact, he'd seen him snog no less than three girls – so it was obvious that Georg knew what to do.

Gustav, on the other hand, would probably embarrass himself yet again. He had no idea what to do – even though he'd witnessed countless kisses in films, and in real life. He would worry about so many things that he probably wouldn't even be able to really enjoy the kiss. What if he had bad breath? What if he didn't know what to do with his tongue? What if the kiss was too wet – or not wet enough? Or what if he was just a really _bad_ kisser? Would Georg want to see him again after such a horrible experience?

His heart beat faster the closer they got to his common room. They didn't meet anyone on their way there, so Gustav had at least one less thing to worry about. But then they reached the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room, and Gustav swallowed has as he turned to face Georg. "Thank you... You didn't have to walk me, you know?"

Georg smiled, taking Gustav's other hand into his own as well. "I know you can take care of yourself. But I _did_ have to."

Gustav met his eyes curiously. "Oh?"

Georg nodded and pulled him closer. Gustav's breath hitched and he swallowed hard, frantically looking for some way to escape – or delay the inevitable. But there was nothing he could do without offending Georg in some way. So he braced himself for what was about to come, and hoped he wouldn't suck too terribly.

Georg's fingers brushed his cheek. "I had a great time tonight. I hope we can do this again soon."

Gustav nodded dumbly, not trusting himself to speak. He glanced at Georg's lips nervously, then licked his own.

His chin was tilted up and he looked up at Georg through half-lidded eyes as the scent of the other boy's hair and cologne wafted into his nose. His eyelids fluttered and he closed his eyes, unable to hold Georg's intent gaze any longer.

Georg's breath was warm on his face and Gustav parted his lips a little as Georg pressed their mouths together in a gentle kiss. Gustav's arms hung limply at his sides; he wasn't sure what to do with them and was too focused on not doing anything stupid and embarrassing to really care. He kept his eyes squeezed shut as Georg's lips brushed his own gently, then sucked in a breath when the tip of Georg's tongue trailed over his bottom lip. Gustav opened his mouth a little, hoping he wasn't too enthusiastic when he met Georg's tongue with his own.

Georg took the lead and deepened the kiss slowly, obviously trying to make Gustav more comfortable. His large hands slid down Gustav's arms, then gently pushed him backwards until Gustav's back hit the cool stone wall. His eyelashes fluttered once again when their tongues slid against each other and Georg's hard body was pressed against his own, his hands finally resting on his hips.

Gustav slid his arms around Georg's neck, pulling him closer, and finally doing what he'd been dreaming of for years; he touched Georg's long hair, threading his fingers through the silky strands. A soft moan escaped Georg's mouth, muffled by Gustav's lips as he kissed him harder, their tongues tangling slowly.

After long minutes, Georg drew back, the tips of their noses touching as he pressed his forehead against Gustav's, his breathing almost as fast as Gustav's.

"Goodnight," he whispered, and Gustav wanted to whine and hold on to Georg as he stepped back – but managed to restrain himself. It was probably not a good idea to be too clingy right at the beginning. He opened his eyes and nodded, then leaned against the wall as he was given another wide smile before Georg turned around and walked away.

His heart was beating fast, his stomach still swirling and he sagged against the wall, sucking in a deep lungful of air. He wasn't sure how he got back to his dorm later; his feet seemed to move automatically.

Finally in the privacy of his dorm, behind the curtains of his bed, he just wanted to snuggle into the soft sheets and think about Georg's kisses – but he did know that he needed to write this down, so he could remember it forever. Not that he'd forget it; it had been the highlight of his life, so far, so he definitely wouldn't forget it. But this was the first time that something really exciting and wonderful had happened to him, so Today definitely deserved a page – or two, or three – in his diary.

 

> _Dear Diary,_
> 
>  _Today, I got my first kiss…_


	4. Chapter 4

When Georg had come back to his common room the night before, Tom hadn't been around – either asleep already, or in some dark alcove with some girl. Georg couldn't have been happier; he went straight to bed to think about the events of the night – and Gustav's smile. He loved his smile. It was so rare, that every moment Gustav let down his guard and actually allowed himself to smile was precious. It lit up his entire face, and even just thinking about it gave Georg butterflies.

Tom may not have bothered him the night before but of course, as was to be expected, he _had_ noticed Georg's disappearance the night before, and was now badgering him with questions.

"Who is she? Why won't you tell me? I'm supposed to be your best friend, Georg, and you're not telling me who she is? What if I end up accidentally seducing her, just because I don't know which girl to stay away from? Don't come crying to me if she falls for my charms and forgets about you afterwards. Just saying. It'll be your own fault."

Tom bit into his croissant, giving him a significant look, while Georg snorted. Tom was so convinced he was irresistible; Georg didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise. And, to be fair, most of the girls here _were_ into Tom, even though they knew he usually wasn't a guy for more than one night. For a long time, Georg had admired Tom's ability to make even the most serious girl forget about her principles and jump into bed with him. But then he'd realised that he wanted more than that. He wanted to find that one special person that made everyone else pale in comparison.

He glanced over to the Hufflepuff table and smiled when his eyes met Gustav's.

Yes. He'd found his person.

"Is she a Hufflepuff?" Tom asked, his face suddenly next to Georg's. "You keep glancing over there. Is it the cute redhead next to the little chubby guy with the glasses?"

Georg ground his teeth and resisted the urge to punch Tom in the face for calling Gustav chubby and little. But that would give him away – and he still wasn't sure if Gustav wanted their… well, whatever it was they had at the moment, to be public. He would have to ask him the next time they saw each other.

"It's not the redhead," he simply said, leaning back. He looked at Tom, seeing that he was still trying to figure out which other Hufflepuff girl would be up to Georg's standards, and sighed. "Tom… just give up. I'm going to tell you when the time is right. Just be patient, for Merlin's sake."

Tom huffed and shook his head. "A good best friend you are," he muttered.

"Is Georg causing you trouble, brother-dearest?"

Georg looked up when Tom's twin Bill sat down across from them. Bill tilted his head and smiled. "Morning, Listing. So, when are you going to decide you're gay and into pretty Slytherins who can give you all you've ever desired – like me?"

Georg smiled sweetly. "Never, Bill. But thanks for asking – yet again. I have one Kaulitz around day and night; that's quite enough for me."

Bill sighed heavily. "You're no fun." Then he turned to his brother. "And you… stop playing with Pansy Parkinson. She's been crying day and night after you were done with her. I don't know what you did to her but her voice is annoying enough when she's talking – no need to make her howl like that. Honestly, Tom."

Tom smirked and glanced over to the Slytherin table where Pansy indeed looked like she'd spent a large portion of the last few hours crying. He sighed heavily. "Is it my fault she always takes my promises seriously? No. And now bugger off, Bill. I'm trying to get Georg to tell me the name of his new babe."

Bill's eyebrows shot up. "Oooh, you have a new girl, Listing? Who is it? Such a shame you're wasting your time with girls when you could be with me, though. _Such_ a shame."

Georg rolled his eyes but grinned, shaking his head. "I won't tell either of you, but thanks for being so interested in my love life. And Bill… who says that I'd be with you if I were into boys? I might like a more… masculine type of guy; has that ever occurred to you?"

With those word, he stood up, shouldering his bag. "See you later, Tom. Gotta finish that essay before class begins."

He left the room, leaving behind an indignant Bill and snickering Tom.

***

Seeing Georg leave the Great Hall, Gustav had got up as well and was now rushing out of the room, hoping to talk to him before they had to be in their respective classrooms. Unfortunately, he didn't have any glasses with the Gryffindors today. When the doors closed behind him, he looked around, slightly disappointed when Georg was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe he was sick of him already.

That thought made his stomach tighten and he swallowed hard. Maybe he'd done something wrong the night before, and Georg was avoiding him now. He took a deep breath and another look around, but Georg definitely wasn't there.

Trying to make himself stop caring so much, Gustav turned around and started making his way to the Divination tower, but he'd barely rounded the first corner when someone grabbed his robes and tugged him into an alcove. His back hit the wall and he barely had the time to focus on Georg's face when the other boy's lips pressed against his own, making his stomach do a flip and his brain shut down – the only thing that mattered to him now was the fact that Georg was pressed against him, kissing him with a passion that left him in no doubt about Georg's feelings for him.

When Georg drew back after a few more heated kisses, Gustav's cheeks were flushed and a silly grin graced his lips. "Good morning," he breathed.

"Morning," Georg said, giving him a sweet grin, his fingers tangling in Gustav's short curls. "I missed you."

Gustav's smile widened and he hesitantly twirled a strand of Georg's long hair around his finger. "I missed you too."

"Did you now?" A smug grin passed over Georg's face before he leaned in to brush a soft kiss over Gustav's lips, letting it linger for a few too short seconds. "Just wanted to do that before class."

He leaned against Gustav, not breaking the eye contact as he stroked Gustav's cheek with the backs of his fingers. Gustav's eyelids fluttered and he drew a shaky breath; even though Georg's kisses said more than a thousand words, he still had a hard time wrapping his mind about the possibility that Georg might actually like him just as much as he liked Georg – which was a whole lot.

"Will I see you tonight? Do you have time to meet up?" Georg asked then, pulling Gustav more into the shadows as a group of first years passed the corridor. "I _need_ to be with you tonight."

Gustav's face was glowing and he tried to keep the goofy, happy smile off his face for a few more minutes. "I'd love that," he admitted. "When and where?"

Georg pressed his forehead against Gustav's as he thought. "7 o'clock, Room of Requirement? You know where that is?"

Gustav nodded. "Yeah, I know it. I'll be there."

"Good." Georg smiled, then tilted Gustav's chin and kissed him yet again, his tongue lazily rubbing against Gustav's. Then he drew back. "Okay. Need to go now or I'll never be able to stop." He looked at Gustav for a long moment, seeming completely smitten. "So… see you."

He disappeared then, while Gustav's knees buckled and he collapsed against the wall, his lips still tingling from Georg's kisses. Damn that boy…

He never knew how he managed to make his way up the stairs to the Divination classroom, but a few minutes later, he was sitting at a round table with Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott, his teacup in front of him. He tried to ignore the girls' conversation and drank his tea in silence, wondering what would happen when he and Georg were in the Room of Requirement tonight. They would be alone, in a room no one else would be able to enter… Would Georg want to do more than kissing?

His stomach swirled pleasantly at that idea, even though he wasn't sure he was ready for more. But this was Georg. Of course he would never say no to him, no matter how far he wanted to go.

He'd just finished that thought when Professor Trelawney appeared at his table, helping first Susan and Hannah interpret their future – according to her, Hannah was in " _grave_ danger", which wasn't really a surprise considering she said that to someone at least once every lesson. If she was ever right, all of them would be dead by now.

When she was done warning Hannah about the terrible week she'd have to face, she finally turned to Gustav. He glanced down into his own cup and felt a flush working its way up his neck and into his cheeks when he saw that there was no doubt about the shape of his own tealeaves. They were heart-shaped, and Gustav grinned inwardly. It was the first time one of his divinations actually made sense to him.

As clear as the shape was, Trelawney still managed to see something else in it. "You may want to write to your grandparents, dear. One of them may be having a heart attack this week."

Shaking his head at the teacher's insane prediction as she walked to the next table where she told Bill Kaulitz that his twin was in " _grave_ danger", Gustav looked down at the heart in his cup, and knew it could only mean one thing.

Love was in the air.

***

After a long, Georg-less day, Gustav finally made his way to the seventh floor corridor, almost skipping with glee. He'd never been this excited and giddy before but the fact that he was going to spend another few hours with Georg just made him insanely happy.

When he'd reached the right corridor, he paced it three times, smiling when the familiar door appeared – he'd come here every once in a while when he'd found himself incapable of finishing his homework in the library, so he knew how to get the room to look the way he wanted it to. He opened the door, and glanced inside, a soft squeak escaping him when he took in his surroundings. There was a fireplace, no couch – but a bed instead. Gustav slammed the door shut and stumbled back a few steps, wondering if his desire for Georg was so obvious in his subconscious that even his insistent wishing for a couch and some cookies hadn't fooled the Room of Requirement.

He was about to turn around and try to get the room to change its appearance when he heard steps coming closer, and looking up, he saw Georg making his way towards him. "There you are," he said cheerfully, raising a brow when he noticed the door. "Oh, great."

He gave Gustav a short kiss, then reached for the handle and opened the door… his eyebrows shooting up when he saw the bed and fireplace. He turned to Gustav and grinned. "Well then… are you planning to seduce me tonight?"

Gustav was dying of embarrassment and wished there was a way for him to hide. Now Georg probably thought he was some kind of pervert who only thought about sex… which sometimes wasn't exactly _wrong_ but he still didn't necessarily want Georg to know about that side of him.

"I, uh…"

"It's okay," Georg said, interrupting him and reaching for his hand. He pulled Gustav into the room and kissed his nose when the door closed behind them. "I'm pretty sure the room would've looked quite similar if I'd… decorated it."

Gustav looked up at him, relieved that Georg wasn't mad at him. "It would have?"

Georg nodded. "Yeah." He looked down into Gustav's eyes but didn't give him the time to contemplate that statement as he leaned down and gave him another longer kiss that made Gustav put his hands on the other boy's shoulders to steady himself. His knees had become terribly unreliable since Georg had come into his life.

Georg pulled him towards the bed, sitting down on it and pulling Gustav down next to him. "How was your day?"

Gustav thought for a moment and gave a weak shrug. He couldn't tell Georg about Divination or Charms – where instead of conjuring up real snow, he'd only managed to rain pink, heart-shaped bubbles down on his classmates, who'd burst into laughter. If he recounted either of those scenes, Georg would know the depth of Gustav's feelings for him – and Gustav wasn't ready for him to know; not until he knew how much Georg liked _him_.

"It was okay," he said finally, his cheeks pinking up once again. "How was yours?"

"Boring and eventless," Georg replied honestly. "But it's improved a lot in the past five minutes."

He gave him a smile, brushing his fingertips over Gustav's palm and making him shiver. Gustav would never understand how that boy could have such intense effects on him, even with a tiny little gesture like this. He licked his lips, then did something that surprised both Georg and himself.

He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Georg's mouth, lingering until the other boy parted his lips to return the kiss. It was the first time Gustav had initiated a kiss and as pleased as he was with the result, it would definitely not be the last time.

The kiss quickly grew in heat and passion, and after a moment, Georg pulled him down onto the bed, his hand slowly sliding up and down Gustav's arm as they kissed. When they were both breathless, Georg pulled away and nudged Gustav's nose with his own, giving him a smile.

"So," he said when he could breathe again. "Tom's been wondering who the new woman in my life is."

He snorted and Gustav had to grin. "I think he'd be disappointed if he knew the truth."

Georg laughed. "Possibly."

He laced their fingers and slid his other arm around Gustav, pulling him closer to rest his head on Georg's shoulder. He kissed his temple and was silent for a few moments. "Do you think I should tell him?"

Gustav glanced up at him, trying to get the butterflies in his belly under control as he thought about Georg's words. "Tell him what?"

"About you and me," Georg said after a moment. There was a faint blush on his cheeks that Gustav found completely endearing. It was unusual to see a beautiful, confident boy like Georg a little nervous – and a nice change, since usually Gustav was the one to blush every few seconds. "I'm just… I wanted to ask you if you're ready for people to know."

"Ah." Gustav nodded, then turned his face into Georg's still amazing-smelling hair and took a deep breath. "I want people to know," he said after a moment of basking in Georg's presence. "I mean, if _you_ want them to know. If you want to wait, that's okay, but… I really don't mind."

Georg nodded thoughtfully, massaging Gustav's scalp with his fingers. "I want them to know too," Georg said softly. "At least my friends, but… I think maybe we should wait a little. This is still new for me and, well. You'd get a lot of attention in the first time, and we probably wouldn't be able to sneak off on our own this easily anymore. So… maybe we should wait."

Gustav looked up at him, wondering if Georg was telling the truth, or if he actually didn't want people to know about them. Maybe Gustav was good enough for a secret affair, but not good-looking, smart or cool enough to be Georg's boyfriend. He bit his lip, nuzzling Georg's neck with his nose as he tried not to let his doubts get the better of him. "That would work, too," he said softly, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Georg, however, seemed to look right through him, and tilted his face up to his own, forcing Gustav to meet his eyes. "I just want to protect you," he said quietly. "I don't want to sound arrogant but… there are some girls who want me. And boys, actually. And some of them are… well, maybe not dangerous, exactly. But it's happened before, that girls I was interested in were having a really hard time because some people tried to push them out of the way. You know what I mean? I really just want us to be able to enjoy the first few days of… this, and not have to worry about what other people are going to think. Besides… I literally only just figured out that I like boys – or maybe just you – and I think I need some more time to get used to it."

Gustav listened to all of this and glanced down. He could understand that it would be hard for someone like Georg to come out. Gustav didn't have to – because no one cared. But Georg was on the Quidditch team, and countless girls were all over him and would be devastated when they found out that Georg liked a boy and wasn't interested in them anymore. So he could understand Georg's hesitation. But at the same time, it did make him worry that Georg wasn't really committed to whatever they had here. He couldn't help it; his brain just seemed to work that way.

Georg bit his lip. "Say something?"

Gustav finally managed to meet the other boy's eyes again, and gave him a reassuring smile. "Okay. I get that, and we can wait. I'm just…" He chewed on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. "I'm just grateful to have this. We don't need to tell anyone; as long as we know it's real, we don't need anyone else to know."

A relieved smile passed over Georg's face and he tightened his arms around Gustav, pulling him into another kiss. Gustav's stomach fluttered and he answered it eagerly, realising that Georg meant it. Someone who kissed like this just couldn't lie.

For the next few minutes, hours – who could tell? – they kissed as if their lives depended on it, forgetting everything around them. The only thing that mattered was that they'd found each other and were together.

Nothing else mattered.


	5. Chapter 5

Gustav sighed happily as he snuggled closer into the warm body next to him. His hand stroked the other person's stomach gently while he buried his face in their neck, breathing in the intoxicating scent. He frowned a little when a tuft of long hair ended up in his mouth, and paused as he pushed the mane of hair away.

Why was he in bed with someone else? He'd never woken up next to someone before. Either one of his roommates had sleepwalked his way into his bed at night, or he had to still be asleep. He'd had dreams like this before, though never quite this vivid.

Unless…

He suddenly sat up, eyes widening when he saw Georg's beautifully peaceful face on the pillow – he seemed to still be asleep. For a moment, Gustav forgot why he'd been so shocked just a second ago, and took in Georg's beautiful features. He looked almost angelic.

 _Sleeping Beauty,_ Gustav thought, smiling to himself.

Finally tearing his eyes off Georg, Gustav looked around and realised that they were still in the Room of Requirement. They must've fallen asleep after making out and cuddling the night before, and now it was… 10 o'clock!

Gustav's heart started racing and he swallowed hard. He'd never missed a class before – not even accidentally. He knew he'd probably have to face detention – maybe even more than one, considering he was also late for the third lesson of the day.

He took a breath and looked back down at Georg, his heart skipping a beat when he realised he would have to wake him up. Once again, his brain supplied him with a long list of reasons why that could be a very bad idea. Georg could be mad at him for waking him up – or he might be mad that they'd fallen asleep here in the first place. It wasn't really Gustav's fault, but he was used to being blamed for things he had nothing to do with, so…

He bit his lip as he considered his options, but in the end, realised that he would have to wake him up. Georg would be far more pissed off if he just left him here. Gustav bit his lip, then leaned over the other boy and touched his shoulder gently.

"Georg," he whispered. "Georg, wake up."

Nothing happened.

Gustav sighed in frustration – of course Georg had to be one of those people who only woke up if you jumped on them. He bit his lip, then raised his voice a little. "Georg," he said firmly, but only got a disapproving moan in response.

He chewed on his bottom lip, then decided to try a different approach. He took a deep, calming breath, leaned forward and hesitantly brushed a soft kiss over Georg's lips. Oddly enough, Georg seemed to react to that immediately, parting his lips a little to kiss him more fully, an arm coming up to wrap around Gustav's neck.

"Georg," Gustav whispered against his lips. "Wake up. We fell asleep and we're already late…"

"Don't wanna," Georg murmured, wrapping his other arm around Gustav as well and pulling him down on top of him.

Gustav's eyes widened comically and he held his breath, hoping he wasn't crushing Georg with his weight.

"Georg," he tried again. "We're really late. It's 10 am and…"

Finally, Georg opened his eyes, looking at Gustav sleepily. "So?" he murmured, nestling into Gustav and giving him a tired smile. "Never skipped class before?"

Gustav looked at him for a long moment. "Um… no."

Georg's brows shot up. "Seriously? Wow."

He let go of Gustav and rubbed his face, stretching like a cat as he blinked against the bright light coming from the window. Then he glanced at his own watch, as if to verify that Gustav was telling the truth, and groaned as he flopped back against the pillow.

He seemed deep in thought for a moment, then rolled onto his side to face Gustav, propping his head up on his arm. "Well," he murmured. "We're already late. So we might as well just wait till after lunch. We could say we didn't feel well, and no one will suspect anything 'cause no one knows we know each other."

Gustav swallowed hard as he looked down at him. "Are you sure?"

Georg nodded. "Yeah," he said determinedly. "Showing up now would make everything worse – 'cause we have History of Magic now, right? So if we both show up at the same time, saying we overslept…" He shook his head. "Let's just wait. I promise they won't give you detention."

Gustav took a breath and finally nodded. It wasn't that he'd rather be in class than here with Georg – he'd have to be pretty damn stupid – but he didn't like breaking the rules, and skipping four hours of classes just seemed much worse than two.

Apparently seeing that Gustav was struggling, Georg reached up and pulled him back down onto the bed, giving him a long, soft kiss. "We'll be fine," he promised, and as he looked into those deep green eyes, Gustav couldn't help believing him. So he tried to relax and smiled as he hesitantly brushed Georg's long hair out of his face. It was messy and wild, and he looked sleepy and adorable.

"Hi," Gustav whispered, and Georg's smile widened.

"Hi. Did you sleep well?"

Gustav nodded. "Wonderful," he admitted.

"Me too," Georg murmured. "Maybe we should give up our own beds and just move in here. We could be together all the time, and this bed is obviously much more comfortable than our own. We'd have our privacy and… everything would be perfect."

Gustav grinned, wondering if Georg was serious or still half-asleep. Of course it wasn't possible to just move into the Room of Requirement, but for a moment, he allowed himself to dream.

"I didn't snore, did I?" Georg asked a moment later, furrowing his brow. "Tom claims I snore."

Gustav shrugged and shook his head. "I didn't hear anything."

"Good," Georg murmured, sighing softly and snuggling into Gustav. After another brief pause, he looked up at Gustav thoughtfully. "So, we have two more hours to kill, right? How about we pick up where we left off last night?"

He gave him a sweet, almost innocent grin, and Gustav had to laugh – but couldn't stop the flush from creeping up his neck again. "That sounds like a good plan," he whispered, shivering when Georg cupped the side of his neck and pulled him down for a long, soft kiss.

***

Four hours later, Gustav was sitting in class, listening to the teacher's lecture about werewolves, and while it probably wasn't appropriate, he couldn’t wipe the silly grin off his face. After Georg's suggestion to spend two hours snogging, they had done just that, and it had gotten pretty heated. Only their lack of time had prevented them from taking it further, but now, Gustav found himself wondering what it would be like to have sex with Georg.

Of course he had imagined what it would be like before – many times, in fact. But now, it was actually possible that it might happen at some point. They were dating, their make-out sessions were pretty heated, and Georg seemed to actually be attracted to him, too. Gustav could swear he'd felt Georg's hard-on through his jeans – but that might have only been wish-thinking. He himself had been hard almost since Georg's lips had first brushed his own – but the idea that kissing him could actually have the same effect on Georg as kissing Georg had on him, seemed impossible to him.

Completely lost in his own thoughts, Gustav didn't realise that someone was watching him…

***

In another classroom, not too far from the one Gustav was in, Georg had to face Tom's incessant questions. All through lunch, Tom had been bugging him, demanding to know where Georg had been all night, and why he hadn't come to classes this morning. Of course, Tom had his own theories about Georg making passionate love to his girl all night, and being too tired to attend classes in the morning, which only made Georg grin secretively, and drove Tom up the wall.

Tom's impatience was really quite adorable.

Unfortunately, Tom also didn't seem to know when to stop. While he'd been talking his ear off before, he was now sending him notes – demanding details, as well as imagining them himself; by drawing lewd stick figures in naughty positions.

Georg ignored him mostly but couldn't suppress a snicker or two at Tom's stick figure art.

"You're an ass," he said when class ended. He shook his head at him and gave him a grin, then packed his bag and shouldered it.

"I'm only an ass because you're not telling me the truth. It's not like I would tell anyone, dude," Tom said, following Georg out of the room and elbowing him as they made their way back to their common room.

"See, that's where you're wrong," Georg said, giving him a look. "I happen to know that you and Bill have no secrets. You tell each other everything, and while I wouldn't mind if Bill was the only one to know, I also know that Bill can't keep his pretty little mouth shut, and soon, the entire castle would know who I'm dating. So, sorry Tom, but no. You'll just have to wait until we're ready for everyone to know."

Tom sighed heavily, clearly hating it when things didn't go his way. But that seemed to shut him up, at least for a while, even though he kept muttering under his breath, displeased that Georg didn't trust him to keep a secret.

Finally reaching their common room, Georg managed to focus on homework but couldn't seem to stop himself from thinking about Gustav's lips, and looking forward to their next date tonight…

Gustav wasn't the only one who was thinking about sex whenever they were together; Georg did, too. But he wouldn't initiate anything for a while. He knew he was Gustav's first boyfriend, so he would give the other boy the time he needed, no matter how much he himself wanted to take things further.

But for now, he was perfectly content to just kiss Gustav breathless.

"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" came Tom's voice from behind his book.

Georg sighed.

***

Gustav's class ended an hour after Georg's last one, and when he was packing his bag, he blinked when a shadow fell over him. He glanced up, surprised to see Bill Kaulitz in front of him, and actually looking down at him. He wasn't sure if their eyes had ever met before.

"Err… yes?" Gustav asked hesitantly, realising that Bill was standing on the strap of his bag, therefore making it impossible for him to pick it up and leave. Bill's intent gaze made him hugely uncomfortable and he reached up to scratch the back of his neck as he waited for the other boy to tell him why he was staring at him like that.

"This fell out of your bag," Bill said, handing him the small black book that clearly had the intention to ruin Gustav's life. It was his diary – again – and Gustav's heart sank. He reached for it eagerly as he flushed despite his plans to act cool and like he wasn't hiding anything.

He swallowed hard and slid the diary back into his schoolbag, taking a breath as he murmured, "Thanks."

Bill wasn't leaving, though, and Gustav had the dreadful feeling that Bill knew something. His eyes were dark and there was a calculating look on his face that made Gustav very uneasy.

"So you're the girlfriend Georg's been hiding so carefully," Bill said, his voice soft and smooth and a little too sweet for Gustav's taste. His little smile seemed innocent and cruel at the same time. "Who would've thought? Georg actually _is_ into guys."

He leaned on his hip, raising a perfect black eyebrow. "Interesting."

All colour left Gustav's face and his eyes widened a little, his hand tightening on his bag as if to protect that bloody diary – but it clearly was too late. Bill had already read it. He knew about them. Georg would _kill_ him for being so careless. Or maybe he would refuse to kiss him for a while. That would be even worse!

This was the second time in a week that Gustav's diary had developed a life of its own and fallen into the hands of the two people he least wanted to have it. Georg finding it had turned out more than well, but Gustav was pretty sure that Bill finding it wouldn't be so great. Seeing the smirk on Bill's face, he realised he was screwed – and in for some blackmail, torture, or whatever else those sneaky Slytherins thrived on these days.

"So, what is it that he sees in you, I wonder?" Bill asked softly, tilting his head to the side and making his long hair fall over his shoulder. "It can't be your looks – don't get me wrong, you're kind of adorable in a cute, innocent little puppy way. But nowhere near handsome enough to tempt Georg. I mean… look at the people he's dated before. Lavender Brown, Daphne Greengrass… How do _you_ fit in?"

Bill smiled slowly and Gustav tried not to show how much Bill's words hurt him. It wasn't as if he didn't have thoughts like that enough on his own – he really didn't need Bill to make his self-consciousness even worse. He stared down and swallowed hard, forcing back the tears that were threatening to surface.

"Oh!" Bill said suddenly, and Gustav looked up despite himself. "Now I know."

Bill sat down on the desk and raised a brow, smiling sweetly. "You must be a tiger in the sack. That's got to be the reason why Georg's so into you."

"I have to go," Gustav said, finally making himself get up, even though his legs were shaking, and all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry a little. Or a lot. Before he could turn around and leave, however, Bill had grabbed his tie and pulled him forward, towering over him. Gustav looked up into the Slytherin's eyes, still doing a pretty good job at holding back his tears. He didn't even blink.

"You should go," Bill agreed, smiling – but the innocence in his expression didn't fool Gustav for even a second. "You should stay away from Georg. He'll take a couple of weeks to get over you, but then he'll be fine. Especially when he has someone like me to comfort him."

He narrowed his eyes a little. "I mean it, Schäfer. Stay away from him. He's mine."

He let go of Gustav's tie, and then his whole face changed, and it was as if he _hadn't_ just been threatening him. He smiled pleasantly, tossing a lock of hair over his shoulder. "Have a good day!"

With those words, he turned around and walked out of the classroom, leaving behind a broken Gustav.

***

For half an hour, Georg paced the seventh floor corridor that night, glancing at his watch again and again before concluding that Gustav wasn't coming. They'd agreed to meet up here at half past seven, and now it was well past eight, and there was still no trace of Gustav.

Georg frowned, biting his lip as he wondered why Gustav hadn't come. He had seemed just as excited as Georg himself had, when they'd discussed it this morning. Had he changed his mind? Had something happened to him? Or had he just realised that Georg wasn't what he'd thought he would be? Had he disappointed Gustav in some way?

He swallowed hard and resisted the urge to punch the wall, and instead, made his way to the Hufflepuff common room. He needed answers – Georg had never been one to avoid finding out the truth. If Gustav didn't like him, he had to tell him to his face.

But Georg really didn't think that that was what had happened. Maybe he'd gotten the flu or… or something!

Of course, Georg didn't know the password to the common room, but sooner or later, someone had to come by and let him in – or at least get Gustav to come out and talk to him.

He didn't have to wait long. Eventually, someone did come out of the common room – a blond boy whose name escaped Georg at the moment. Smith, maybe.

"Hey, could you maybe get Gustav – Gustav Schäfer, I mean, to come out and talk to me?" he asked, giving the boy what he hoped was a friendly smile.

In return, he got a glare. "Are you the one who put him in this condition? Look, mate, I know we Hufflepuffs may not seem particularly strong or talented or dangerous, but I _will_ hex your balls off if you hurt him again! He's a mess – I'm not getting him to come out and talk to you! Stay away from him!"

Georg paled a little. "What happened? Is he hurt? I didn't–"

Smith eyed him suspiciously, then shook his head. "Well, either way, he's in no condition to come out and talk to you, so you might as well just bugger off. You're not supposed to be here in the first place, Listing. So… goodnight."

He closed the door, and Georg stared at the door, a terrible feeling of dread spreading in his stomach. Had he done something wrong? Had someone else hurt Gustav? Had he been hurt because they were together? He swallowed hard, then made his way back to the Gryffindor tower, barely managing to conceal his anger.

If he ever found out who'd hurt Gustav…

***

After classes, Gustav had gone back to the dorm, put on his pyjamas and curled up in bed. The moment he'd laid down, the tears had come, and hadn't stopped yet. For three days, he had felt so good about himself. He'd actually felt confident for the first time in his life, and then Bill had to come and ruin it all.

He had no doubts about Bill's words. He knew he had to be right – Bill knew Georg better than Gustav did, after all, and everything he'd said had made sense, to some extent. Gustav _wasn't_ particularly handsome, and since he wasn't a "tiger in the sack", what did he have to offer? He was smart, but not exceptionally so, and Georg deserved better. He deserved someone pretty and tall and smart – someone like Bill. And Bill had said it, hadn't he? Georg belonged to him. Maybe it had all been a giant joke after all.

That thought made him cry even harder, and he sobbed into his pillow, trying to breathe. He didn't want to think badly of Georg – he was perfect, just like Gustav had always thought he'd be. He just couldn't imagine that Georg would fool him like this. Georg probably really _did_ like him, but that didn't change the fact that Gustav wasn't what Georg needed. It wasn't Georg's fault that Gustav wasn't good enough for him. Georg had done nothing wrong. Except… maybe he'd felt obligated to make Gustav feel good about himself when he'd read about his infatuation with him in his diary. Maybe that was the reason he'd asked him out and kissed him.

Gustav didn't blame him. The past three days had been the most amazing in his life, and he would forever cherish them, no matter what the future would bring. Even if Georg did dump him now, he would always have those three days.

He rubbed his face and sniffled, then whimpered and buried his face in the pillow when a new wave of tears washed over him. At some point, he heard his dorm mates come into the room. He reached for his wand and silenced the space around his bed before a loud sob escaped him.

He cried himself to sleep that night, wallowing in his misery, and wondering if he'd ever get to kiss Georg again.


	6. Chapter 6

After the events of the previous evening, Georg had spent the night thinking about Gustav and what could've possibly happened to him. He'd come to the conclusion that _he_ must've done something wrong but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what it could've been. They hadn't seen each other all day, so how could he have upset Gustav without even being present?

The next possibility he considered was that someone else had hurt Gustav, and if that was the case, they would suffer. Georg knew that Gustav could probably take care of himself but he already felt oddly protective of the other boy, so if anyone had done anything to hurt him, Georg would make sure that would never happen again.

He already found himself considering different torture methods he could apply. Maybe _Crucio_ would be a little much – but if they had hurt _his_ boyfriend this much, they probably deserved it.

What he also contemplated that night was whether or not now was the right time to tell Tom. He wasn't sure he was ready for his best friend to know but on the other hand, Tom would be able to back him up when he found out who had hurt Gustav. He just wasn't sure how Tom would react.

It wasn't that he was ashamed of Gustav, not at all. He was already falling for the other boy and would walk around with him hand-in-hand proudly when the time came. But he just wasn't sure that time had come yet.

But in the end, he concluded that telling Tom would be a good idea – after he'd confronted Gustav. Because there was still a chance that Gustav had merely changed his mind about him and didn't want him anymore – and if that was the case, there was not really a point in telling Tom, was there?

Not that Georg would give up. He was persistent and stubborn, and wouldn't rest until he was completely convinced that Gustav wasn't interested in him.

He watched him during breakfast, his heart sinking when Gustav didn't look up once. The other boy looked terrible; it was obvious he'd been crying, and Georg's heart broke a little when he saw Gustav's slightly red and puffy eyes. To think that he might have caused this hurt more than Georg could've imagined.

The fact that Gustav wasn't looking back at him worried him and cemented the idea of Gustav having changed his mind about him. While Gustav wasn't meeting his eyes, someone else was. Georg raised a brow when he saw the boy he'd met last night – Zacharias Smith, he knew now – eyeing him, the look on his face one of pure hatred. Georg's eyebrows shot up and he wondered if Gustav had talked to the other Hufflepuff about him, or if Smith just assumed it was his fault that Gustav was in this position right now.

He sighed heavily, blinking when Tom elbowed him, bringing him back to reality.

"What's wrong? You look downright… distressed," Tom stated, looking at him with real concern. "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"

Georg bit his lip, hesitating for a moment. Then he decided to let Tom in on the secret – but not all of it.

"The, err… person I'm interested in," he started, "sort of didn't show up for our date last night, and I heard from a friend of theirs that they were – or are – upset, so I'm just worried I did something wrong."

Tom ate a forkful of scrambled egg, looking at Georg thoughtfully. "Why do you keep using words like 'person' and 'them'. Is it a guy you're dating?"

Georg's brows shot up and he blushed; he hadn't expected Tom to figure that out that quickly. He looked down for a moment, then shrugged and gave a weak nod. "Yeah," he murmured, getting another elbow in his ribs as Tom demanded his attention.

"Dude, you weren't honestly worried about telling me, were you? My brother screws every guy in sight; you didn't really think I was homophobic, did you? I don't care who you date as long as they're not using you, so…"

Now that Tom put it this way, Georg realised that his worry had been unfounded. Bill _did_ date guys, and was constantly flirting with him, so it wasn't really surprising that Tom was so open-minded. He knew that not everyone here would react the same way, but the fact that his best friend didn't care who he dated meant a lot to him.

He shook his head. "No, I didn't, but… I guess I was just worried."

Tom shrugged, waving his hand dismissively. "Don't be. I'm not sure I'm a hundred per cent straight either."

Georg's brows shot up. "Tom… you are _the_ heterosexual playboy around here. You actually have a bit of a reputation, and…" He trailed off, eyeing his friend.

Tom raised a brow in response. "So? Doesn't mean I wouldn't do a guy if a good-looking one came along."

Stunned for a moment, Georg processed that, and was interrupted by Tom going back to the topic of Gustav.

"So, your guy is upset," he said slowly. "Why don't you just ask him why?"

Georg nodded. "That's what I'm planning to do but… I'm still trying to figure out what I could've done. Or what could've happened. I just want to be prepared, you know? And then I will talk to him after breakfast."

"You will talk to whom after breakfast?" a cheerful voice asked, and Bill flopped down across from them.

"Hello Georg," he purred, batting his long lashes.

Georg rolled his eyes inwardly but managed a more or less pleasant smile. "Hi Bill."

"So, who?" Bill asked, leaning forward curiously, his wide brown eyes deceptively innocent.

"A teacher," Tom lied easily, shovelling some more food into his mouth – how someone could eat this much and still be this thin was beyond Georg. "Georg has to talk to Flitwick about his homework.

"Oh," Bill said, looking disappointed – and maybe didn't believe them entirely. He tilted his head and reached for a cherry, popping it into his mouth and sucking on it in a decidedly seductive manner, his eyes never leaving Georg's. Georg felt his cheeks flushing at the suggestive gesture, and turned his eyes back to the Hufflepuff table, his eyes widening a little when he saw Gustav jumping up and speeding from the room.

"I have to go," he said at once, knowing this was his chance to catch Gustav alone. He got up abruptly, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "I'll see you later."

He whirled around and followed Gustav, who'd already left the Great Hall.

When he was gone, Bill raised a brow at Tom, his eyes narrowing a little. "He's going after his boytoy, isn't he?"

Tom paused eating and looked at Bill with a frown. "How do you know it's a guy?"

Realising that he might have just given himself away, Bill shrugged. "Just guessing," he said, idly playing with the stem of his cherry. "He's never been this secretive about a lover before, so I'm assuming it's a guy."

Tom eyed him suspiciously but didn't say anything else, looking after Georg as the door fell shut behind him.

***

"Gustav! Gustav, wait!"

Gustav ignored the voice, recognising its owner without even turning around. He'd hoped he could slip out of the Great Hall unnoticed and had done a pretty good job, but Georg must've seen him in the end after all.

Dammit.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see Georg. He longed for him, and missed him already after only having been a day apart from him. He sped up his steps, not wanting to talk to him, though.

Seeing Bill flirting with Georg had been hell, and it had cemented his belief that Georg didn't really want him. How could Georg want _him_ if he could have someone like Bill? It just didn't make sense, and therefore, couldn't be true.

He braced himself for the conversation he was about to have, well aware that Georg was faster and would reach him eventually. He flinched when a hand touched his shoulder, turning him around and pulling him into the nearest alcove – which only made him realise again that this was all a giant joke. Georg didn't want to be seen in public with him.

While the urge to look into Georg's eyes was almost unbearably strong, Gustav kept them fixed on the ground, knowing that he would let Georg lure him back in if he looked into those trustful green eyes of his. They were incredibly deceiving, he realised.

"What do you want?" he asked, relieved when his voice sounded just as cold as he'd wanted it to. He didn't see the stunned look on Georg's face but could imagine it. Georg was an incredibly good actor, apparently.

"What do I… I want to talk to you," Georg said firmly, trying to catch Gustav's eyes but Gustav would close them before he looked into Georg's. He needed to stay firm now in order to avoid getting hurt even more.

"About what?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral. He finally raised his head a little, but looked at Georg's red and gold tie rather than his face. This was safer.

"About last night," Georg said, his voice hesitant. "You didn't show up."

"I was busy," Gustav said shortly, hoping he could get this conversation over with as soon as possible. He knew that Georg could probably tell he'd been crying, and he hated himself for being so weak.

"Busy doing what? Gustav… I was at your common room last night and ran into Smith – what happened? Come on, talk to me, baby."

At that, Gustav's head shot up and he narrowed his eyes. "I am not your baby," he said, his voice low. "Why don't you just leave me alone? I get that playing with an innocent little Hufflepuff like me is fun for you Gryffindors, but I honestly thought you were better than that."

His statement hit Georg hard, he could tell, and for a moment, he felt guilty. But only a little.

It took a moment for Georg to find his voice, but rather than tell him to fuck off, Georg took a step closer, tilting Gustav's head up. "Why don't you tell me what happened? You're clearly upset – and I don't know what I did to cause this. So please… enlighten me?"

Gustav looked at him for a moment, then looked away, shaking his head. "I need to go."

He pulled away from Georg and stepped out of the alcove, getting ready to walk away. Before he did, however, he turned around, frowning as he glanced back at Georg. The Gryffindor looked honestly clueless, and for a moment, Gustav found himself wavering. Maybe Georg really _didn't_ know what had happened…

Shaking his head, Gustav narrowed his eyes, and before he left, he took a breath.

"Why don't you ask Bill? I'm sure he can tell you what's going on."

He paused. "Just don't bother me again. I won't be your plaything anymore."

He looked at Georg for another moment, shaking his head. "I really thought you were better than this, you know?"

He shook his head again, then walked away, forcing himself to focus on school rather than his fucked up love life. He wouldn't ever let anyone in again. This had hurt more than he'd ever thought possible, and he wouldn't let anyone hurt him like this again.

***

"What the _FUCK_ did you to do him?"

Georg's voice was loud and angry as he slammed his hands down on the desk, looming threateningly over Bill, who looked taken aback and maybe a little scared, and Tom, who just looked curious and confused.

"Shhhhh!" hissed Madam Pince, the librarian, and gave them a stern look.

Georg ignored it.

"Out," he snapped. "Now. Don't even try to get away, you sneaky little shit."

He turned around and stomped out of the library, waiting in front of the door for Bill, ready to punch his ridiculously pretty face into a pulp if it really did turn out to be him who had turned Gustav into this unrecognisably cold person he'd seen this morning.

It took a minute or two for Bill to finally stalk out of the library, followed by a curious Tom. "What's going on, mate?"

Georg folded his arms over his chest, glaring at both twins, even though Tom had nothing to do with this – he hoped. "Why don't you ask your precious little brother?"

Bill raised a dark eyebrow, not looking perturbed in the slightest. "I don't know what you're talking about," he drawled, inspecting his perfectly manicured fingernails.

A moment later, a gasp escaped him when he was grabbed and slammed against the nearest wall, Georg's hands tightening in his robes as he stared him down.

"Ow!" Bill pouted and glared back at Georg before a slow grin spread on his face. "Ohh, so you want me after all? I always knew it, Georg-dearest."

Georg snarled. "Cut the crap, Bill, and tell me what the fuck is going on."

Bill sighed heavily, waving Tom away when his brother tried to step between him and Georg. "I didn't do anything," he said, meeting Georg's eyes levelly. "I just took care of your little problem for you. You should thank me."

"Thank you?" Georg hissed, slamming Bill against the wall again and shrugging off Tom's hand as his friend tried to tug him away from the Slytherin. "Are you fucking nuts? What the hell did you _say_ to him, Bill? I swear – if you don't tell me, even your pretty face won't save you from a punch."

Bill sighed heavily but did look scared for a moment. Their staring contest went on for another few seconds before Bill let out a deep sigh and shrugged. "I just told him the truth. That you'd never be interested in someone like him and that he should stay away from you. Your little friend is so ridiculous, honestly. Have you seen that little diary of his? It would be cute if it wasn't so pathetic."

Georg growled and would've punched or _Crucio-ed_ Bill if Tom hadn't pulled him away from him. His friend's hands came to rest on his chest, pushing him away.

"What did you tell him?" he asked, raising his hands to let Tom know that he wasn't going to touch Bill. Still, a moment later, his hand tightened around his wand. Maybe he wouldn't touch him, but he definitely deserved a vicious hex for what he'd done to Gustav.

"I just _told_ you," Bill snapped, finally abandoning his nonchalance as he started to look seriously pissed. "That he's not good enough for you, that you'd never be seriously interested in someone like him, and that you're mine, basically."

Georg stared at him, unable to comprehend why Bill would do such a thing. Up until now, Georg had never had a problem with Tom's twin, but this was the worst thing anyone had ever done to him.

"You're… you're unbelievable," he finally managed, staring at Bill incredulously, his chest rising and falling quickly with suppressed anger. "Just… stay away from me, Bill. I'm through with you. If you ever come near me or Gustav again, not even the prospect of spending the rest of my life in Azkaban will stop me from cursing your ass into oblivion."

He shook his head, then started to walk away while Tom blinked a couple of times. "Who's Gustav?"

A moment later, realisation seemed to hit – Gustav had to be Georg's new boyfriend. And Bill had apparently scared him away. Not the first time, Bill had done something like this, but this was Georg he'd done it to. Noticing that Georg was leaving, Tom blinked. "Georg, wait!"

He made to follow his friend, but before he left, he turned back to Bill and narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is _wrong_ with you? Don't you ever think before you act? Are you really that bored? Fuck, honestly, Bill. Just limit your little games to other people and leave Georg alone. When did you become such an asshole?"

He glared at his brother, then sped after Georg. Bill sneered after him and smoothed his robes, looking a little more than displeased with the outcome of his latest ruse.

***

"Stop _defending_ him!" Georg hissed, narrowing his eyes at his friend and ignoring the looks he got from everyone around them in their common room.

"I'm not!" Tom snapped back, glancing around and lowering his voice as he continued. "I'm not defending him. But Georg – Bill's been after you for years. And he's done shit like this before, so you can't honestly be this surprised. I'm not defending him at all – he was a real asshole and I won't let him forget it anytime soon, but, what I'm saying is that you shouldn't focus on your anger at Bill right now, but try to get your boy back. If he's really as upset as you said he is, you need to find a way to convince him that you didn't know about Bill's little game and that you want him back, and are serious about him."

He took a deep breath, and Georg huffed but had to admit that Tom was right. He looked down at his hands, wondering how he could ever get Gustav to talk to him again after what Bill had said to him. Gustav was insecure in the first place, and Bill's words had probably hurt him more than Georg could ever imagine.

"So you really like him, huh?" Tom asked softly after a moment, pulling Georg out of his thoughts and making him look up at him. Tom frowned thoughtfully. "So… who is this again? Gustav? Do I know him?"

Georg sighed and leaned back. "He's a Hufflepuff in our year. About my height, maybe a little shorter, blond hair, glasses…"

Tom frowned thoughtfully, then his brows shot up. "Wait, the little chubby kid?"

When Georg growled at him, he raised his hands. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean it like that. But he _is_ not exactly skinny, is he?"

Georg sighed. "I guess not. And yeah, that's him. Gustav Schäfer."

"Huh," Tom said, nodding thoughtfully. "And you like him."

"Yes," Georg said tightly, ready to curse Tom, should he join his brother in offending Gustav.

But Tom merely nodded, leaning back. "Well, good for you. Now what do you plan to do to get him back?"

Georg took a deep breath, finally calming down a little. He shrugged and his shoulders slumped in defeat when he realised he had no idea how to convince Gustav to trust him again.

"If I may suggest something," Tom started, but was interrupted by Georg's snort.

"Are you honestly going to give me suggestions? You've never had a real relationship, Tom – what do _you_ know about love?"

Tom raised a brow, grimacing a little. "Hey, I am _the_ expert when it comes to those things. Maybe I've never been serious about anyone before but I do know how to grovel. So shut up and listen."

Georg rolled his eyes and sighed, but had to admit that Tom had a point. He _was_ pretty good at getting girls to forgive him after he'd hurt them. He wasn't sure _how_ many times Tom had broken, say, Pansy Parkinson's heart, and yet she still kept coming back to him.

So Tom had to do at least _something_ right.

"Okay," Georg said finally, releasing the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. He leaned forward, looking at his friend expectantly.

"I'm listening."


	7. Chapter 7

Gustav had managed to avoid Georg for the rest of the day and was relieved when classes were finally over and he could go back to the safety of his dorm. He'd just gotten comfortable on his bed, ready to do some homework (or write a long entry about his miserably frustrating love life in his diary) – anything to take his mind off of Georg – when Zacharias Smith came in. Usually, that wouldn't have bothered him; he could focus on his studies no matter how much noise there was, but the fact that Zach was actually talking to him made ignoring him a little harder.

"Hey," the other boy said, looking up after fumbling with the curtains around his bed for a moment. "Are you okay?"

Gustav looked up, pushing his glasses up on his nose and eyeing the other boy carefully. "Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well…" Zacharias looked a little uncomfortable. "Last night… I heard you. I just… I'm just worried about you. And if you want to talk about anything, you can come to me, you know? I know we're not best friends or anything but… I'm a good listener."

He gave Gustav a tentative smile. Gustav looked at him for a long moment, a little surprised by that offer, but then managed to return the smile. "Thank you. I don't think I'm ready to talk about it, but… Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Zacharias gave him a wide smile and nodded. "I understand."

Gustav nodded as well, then turned back to his homework – but apparently, Zach wasn't done. "Do you want to hang out?"

Gustav blinked and glanced up again. "Hang out? Err…"

He glanced around, looking for an excuse – it wasn't that he didn't want to hang out with Zacharias – or anyone else – but he wasn't sure if they would find anything to talk about. He doubted they had much in common, apart from being obviously in the same house.

After considering his options, he realised he didn't have a good reason to say no. He'd finished all his homework for the next day and was just trying to do next week's work now. So he closed his book and managed another small smile. "Sure, why not?"

Zacharias beamed, then looked worried for a moment. "You don't have to feel obligated. If you don't feel like it, I totally understand. You did seem pretty upset last night, so…" He blushed, looking vaguely uncomfortable as he mentioned the previous night again.

Gustav shook his head. "No, don't worry about it. I'd like to."

He stood up and pulled his shirt down, sliding his hands into his pockets. They stood there awkwardly for a long moment until Gustav broke the silence. "So where did you want to hang out?"

"Oh!" Zacharias said, nodding. "Well, uh… common room?"

Gustav agreed, and they made their way downstairs.

Surprisingly, they did have quite a lot to talk about. They liked the same subjects at school, were both not all that interested in Quidditch – and got along really well. Even though they'd never exchanged more than a few words before, Gustav felt like he had an actual friend for the first time in his life. It was a nice feeling.

They talked for hours, and when Gustav finally looked around the common room, he realised that most people had already gone to bed. When he mentioned going to bed, Zacharias looked a little disappointed.

"Oh. Okay, no problem," he said, giving Gustav a little smile and sitting up. "I'll see you later then."

Gustav nodded, smiling back. "Yeah, sure. And thank you – you know, for asking me to hang out and offering to listen. I might take you up on that offer, and I had fun tonight."

He got up, then smiled again before turning around and starting to walk to the stairs that led up to the dorms. He'd just reached the first step when Zacharias spoke again.

"Hey, Gustav?"

"Hm?" Gustav turned around and looked at him curiously, frowning when he saw Zacharias fidgeting with the hem of his sweater.

"Can I tell you something?"

Gustav raised his brows and took a few steps back towards the couch, nodding. "Sure. What is it?"

Zacharias looked at him for a long moment, then got up and walked around the couch to stand in front of Gustav. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, and Gustav was vaguely amused for a second or two (and also realised that this had to be what he looked like when he couldn’t figure out what to say to Georg) – until Zach leaned forward, cupped his cheeks and pressed a kiss against his lips.

He closed his eyes automatically, then blinked them open when the kiss broke, looking back at a very flustered Zacharias.

"I like you," Zacharias breathed. "I just… wanted you to know."

Then he walked past Gustav and ran up the stairs to the dorm. When Gustav heard the door close, he blinked stupidly.

What had just happened?

***

Gustav awoke the next morning to the insistent noise of a school owl tapping against the window. He sighed heavily, wondering why no one else was getting up to retrieve the letter, then decided that since he was awake already, he might as well get up.

He opened the window, hissing when the stupid owl bit him as he attempted to remove the letter from its leg. He fed it a treat, then watched it fly off, and finally focused on the letter in his hand.

He looked even more confused when he realised that the letter was for _him_.

Upon closer inspection, Gustav recognised Georg's handwriting. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach and the rapid beating of his heart. He glanced around, realising that it was still early and everyone else was still asleep, so he slipped back under the covers, pulled the curtains shut and unfolded the letter.

It took another few minutes before he finally put on his glasses and started reading – after debating whether to just ignore it or give Georg a chance to explain himself.

Finally, his curiosity won out.

> _Dear Gustav,_
> 
>  _I know you probably hate me right now and I can't blame you for that – even though I had nothing to do with the whole thing. After talking to you yesterday, I confronted Bill and heard the whole story. I can't believe he did that – I never thought he could be such a ~~wanker assho~~ idiot. _
> 
> _I almost cursed him – if Tom hadn't been there to protect him, I would have, and I still will, if he ever comes near you again._
> 
>  _But anyway. I had nothing to do with the whole thing – please believe me. And please don't believe a word he said. None of it is true, and he only said it because he's jealous of you. He's been trying to ~~get in my pants~~ lure me into his bed for years now, and apparently hasn't understood that I'm not interested in him. _
> 
> _I like you. I like you a lot, Gustav, and I meant every word I said to you. I hope you can find it in your heart to give me another chance. I promise I won't disappoint or hurt you again. You mean too much to me for me to just let you go, and I won't give up until you outright tell me to stop. I want to prove that my intentions are pure, and I hope you'll let me do that._
> 
>  _I missed you last night. I can't stop thinking about you, and I'm so sorry that you got hurt because of me._
> 
>  _It won't happen again._
> 
>  _Yours,_
> 
>  _Georg._

Gustav stared at the letter, reading it three times before he understood that Georg was actually apologising for something he had – apparently – nothing to do with. It had been all Bill's doing, and Georg was serious about him.

It took another few moments for that to sink in. Georg really did like him. He wouldn't go through this if he didn't mean it, would he? He could have anyone – if it was just about sex or making fun of him, he would've given up a long time ago.

Right?

Gustav folded the letter, touching the parchment almost affectionately. Then he leaned back against the pillows and sighed, wondering whether to reply right away or torture Georg a little.

He decided for the latter. He liked the idea of having the upper hand – if only for a little while – and would give himself at least a day to think about Georg's words – even though he was already pretty sure that he would grant Georg the second chance he was practically begging for.

Georg wanted him. He _wanted_ him.

A grin appeared on his face when he realised that Georg was actually pursuing him – _courting_ him, even. The line about 'not giving up' made it sound like Georg would try to woo him or something, and as much as Gustav wanted to just reply and tell Georg that everything was all right, he _was_ also quite curious and wanted to know what Georg would come up with.

Suddenly, the previous night came back to him, and he felt a little guilty about the kiss he'd shared with Zacharias – even though it had been Zach who had kissed him, so he couldn't have prevented it from happening.

Zach wanted him. Georg wanted him.

Gustav almost laughed because he couldn't fathom the idea that after years of no one being interested in him, he suddenly had two admirers. It seemed incredible, and a little ridiculous – but he wasn't going to complain.

Suddenly, something occurred to him. He could try to make Georg jealous by walking around with Zacharias. As appealing as the idea seemed, he dismissed it after only a few seconds of consideration. He couldn't do that to Georg – he wasn't cruel by nature, and he wouldn't use Zacharias like that.

No, he would tell Zach that he wanted to be friends, but nothing more, and then, after letting Georg dangle for a while, he would let him back in.

It was odd, this sense of power he suddenly felt. He was sure it wouldn't last, so he tried to enjoy it for as long as he could.

After making sure that Georg's letter was safely tucked into his diary, Gustav stood up and got ready.

He was sure, it would be an amazing day.

***

"Gustav! Gustav, wait a second!"

Gustav almost smirked when he heard the desperate tone of Georg's voice – then blinked in surprised. He'd never known he had a bit of an evil Slytherin streak.

After ignoring Georg for a moment, he finally stopped when the other boy reached him, a little out of breath. "Hey," Georg said, giving him a tentative smile.

Gustav looked back at him calmly. "Hello."

Georg's smile faded and Gustav had to bite his lip hard to refrain from apologising, wrapping his arms around Georg and telling him how much he adored him. Not yet. The time would come – but not yet.

"I just wanted to ask if you got my letter this morning," Georg said, chewing his bottom lip.

Fuck, he looked adorable…

Gustav, however, showed no emotion and just cocked an eyebrow. "Yes, I did."

Georg nodded slowly, glancing down at the floor for a second. "Okay. And, um… are you planning to reply, or… what did you think?"

Gustav stayed silent for a moment, secretly enjoying the way Georg was squirming uncomfortably. Why was he enjoying this so much?

Eventually, he broke the silence, probably looking a little too pleased with himself. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

Georg's eyebrows shot up and he looked impressed, then taken aback. "Oh. Okay. Yeah, I guess. Um…" He gave Gustav a charming smile, but it didn't look as confident as it usually did. "So no hint at all?"

Gustav finally smiled back a little. "Nope. You'll just have to be patient, I'm afraid."

He smiled sweetly, then turned around and walked to his next class, unable to suppress the wide grin that spread on his face. He almost wanted to turn around to see the (hopefully) dumbfounded expression on Georg's face, but managed not to.

He'd never felt this cool before.

***

Over the course of the next few days, Gustav received gifts, little notes and so much attention from Georg; he almost couldn't handle it. Every little gift or note made him smile and feel giddy for hours – even if it was just a Chocolate Frog or a little card saying "I miss you". He was enjoying the attention so much that he almost didn't want to reply to the letter – but he was also starting to get a little more than impatient himself.

He missed kissing Georg, talking to him, just being close to him. Maybe it was time to let him off the hook and give them both the relief they obviously needed.

A week after receiving the letter, Gustav finally decided to answer it later that day and maybe arrange a date for the night. He could see the longing looks Georg gave him, and after wondering if they really _were_ directed at him, he always felt incredibly smug that this beautiful boy wanted him. That they would be a couple soon; belong together.

After telling Zacharias that he was only interested in friendship, which the other boy had accepted with astounding sovereignty, Gustav had confided in him; told him about his epic crush on Georg Listing. At first, Zacharias hadn't reacted that well, and had asked why the hell Gustav planned on giving him another chance when Georg had been the one to upset him so much. Gustav cleared up the misunderstanding, and from that day on, Zacharias glared at Bill whenever they walked past him.

Gustav's life had never been better. He had a friend – and tonight, he would have Georg again.

 _Finally_.

And this time, nothing and no one would come between them.

***

"Your stupid plans aren't working." Georg glared at Tom, folding his arms over his chest and pouting like a petulant child when his friend flopped down on the couch across from him. "You promised it would work."

Tom sighed. "I know I did. I guess your guy is just a little less resilient than girls usually are. Sorry?"

Georg glared at him, sighing dramatically as he lay down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. "What else can I do? I mean, if he doesn't know I like him now, after all I've done, then… how else am I going to convince him?"

He turned to Tom. "Is love always this frustrating or am I just lucky?"

Tom snorted. "Well, sex is complicated. Love is, as far as I know, even worse. And I don't know what else you could do. You've exhausted my resources. Maybe now the only thing you can do is catch him in an abandoned corridor and seduce him. You haven't tried that, right? It's probably harder to resist you when you're all over him, kissing him, and… well, whatever else you guys do."

Georg raised a brow at him, contemplating that idea for a moment. Then he sighed and rolled back onto his back. "I don't know, Tom. I'm trying to prove that I want more than sex – do you think basically harassing him would be a good idea in my case?"

"I don't know, Georg," Tom said patiently. "You know him better than I do, so if you don't know what to do, then I don't know how much more I can help you. Just… talk to him?"

Georg bit his lip, rubbing the back of his neck thoughtfully. "Maybe he wants a public declaration of my undying love for him. Maybe I should, you know, drop down on one knee and be all Romeo-esque, and…"

He sighed, already blushing at the idea alone. "That would be so embarrassing."

Tom stared at him. "Dude, if you do that? I don't want to be seen with you anymore."

Georg directed another glare at him, then threw a pillow at him. "Screw you. Some best friend you are."

Tom spluttered. "Hey – without me, you would've been totally screwed. Besides, it's Friday. Maybe he was just waiting for today and is finally going to let you back in now. Just… be patient?"

Another pillow hit him on the head.

***

After sending the letter, Gustav had gone to dinner and was now sitting there, talking to Zacharias and still trying not to look at Georg too often. He did manage to catch a glimpse of the other boy, however, and saw that he still gave him the same looks he'd been giving him all week. He didn't look relieved, though, so maybe he hadn't seen the letter yet. Hmmm…

"He's looking at you again," Zacharias said, nudging him.

"I can't look now," Gustav murmured. "Don't want to be too obvious."

"Ahh, yes," Zach said, nodding.

They continued eating and talking about classes and homework, and how they planned to spend the weekend. When thinking about _his_ weekend, Gustav realised that he wanted to spend it in Georg's arms. That would be perfect.

They'd just finished dessert when Zacharias nudged Gustav again.

"Oh god. I think he's coming over here."

"What?" Gustav asked, choking on his last piece of cake and forgetting all about not paying Georg any attention. His head shot up and his eyes widened comically when he saw that Georg actually _was_ walking towards the Hufflepuff table with a determined expression on his face.

Gustav flushed when he realised that everyone was watching Georg, and that the people sitting around him on the Hufflepuff table were whispering excitedly.

Up until now, Georg had always made sure to catch him in an empty corridor or classroom, but now he was apparently planning on addressing him openly.

Merlin, help him…

"Gustav," Georg said when he finally stood before him. The Great Hall was suddenly unusually quiet and at least half of the students – and teachers – in it were staring at them.

Gustav had often dreamed about Georg confessing his love for him in front of other people, but this was a little too public for his taste – and in his dreams, it had never been quiet this… exciting.

"Yes?" he finally managed, looking up at the other boy.

Suddenly, it occurred to him that maybe Georg wasn't going to tell him he liked him. Maybe Gustav had tortured him for too long and he'd had enough now and had found someone better. Maybe he was publicly _dumping_ him.

His heart sped up and his face paled as he stared up at Georg almost pleadingly and hoped his worst fears wouldn't come true.

 _Please let him like me. Pleaspleasplease!_

"Gustav," Georg said again after taking a deep breath. "I like you. I've told you about my feelings for you in so many ways that I'm running out of ideas and options. I don't know if you've just lost interest in me, or if you…" He trailed off, then took another – slightly shaky? – breath. "Please forgive me and go out with me tonight."

Gustav stared at him, letting out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding – and letting Georg's words sink in. He stared up at the other boy, and tried to find the right words to reply.

At the Gryffindor table, Tom buried his face in his hands and muttered something about "humiliating" and "embarrassing", while at the Slytherin table, Bill's eyes narrowed.

All eyes were on Gustav until he finally found his voice back and looked up to meet Georg's eyes.

"I'd love to," he said softly, giving him a wide smile.

Georg grinned back, looking very relieved, and reached for Gustav's hand, pulling him up. Gustav's face was beyond red as Georg laced their fingers and led Gustav out of the Great Hall.

As soon as the door was closed, all hell broke loose.


	8. Chapter 8

"Oh my god," Georg murmured as they walked away from the Great Hall, still hand-in-hand. "Oh god, I can't believe I just did that."

Gustav looked over at him and grinned. "Well, at least you got the boy, right?"

Georg met his eyes, and despite his slight feeling of panic, he had to smile. "Yeah," he said softly, squeezing Gustav's hand. "I got the boy."

He took a deep breath and stopped walking when they arrived in the corridor with the Room of Requirement. Gustav looked up at him, taking Georg's other hand into his own as well. "You didn't have to do that, though, you know? I mean, I told you how I feel in my letter."

Georg looked down at him, giving him a smile before his brow furrowed in confusion. "You did? Wait, what letter?"

Gustav frowned. "I sent you a letter earlier. Ernie Macmillan was supposed to give it to you…"

Georg blinked. "I never got it."

"Oh," Gustav said, frowning. He'd always thought Ernie was reliable, but apparently not.

"Bill," Georg said then, groaning. "I bet he has something to do with it."

Gustav frowned. "You think so? I didn't see him, and Ernie headed straight to the Great Hall…"

Georg shook his head. "Bill has his ways. I swear I'm going to _kill_ him one of these days."

Gustav shrugged and shook his head. "Just leave him alone. He'll have to get bored eventually, right?"

Georg sighed heavily and shrugged. "I hope so. But if he ever approaches you again, don't believe a word he says. All right? I like you, Gustav. I'm not interested in Bill, and I'm yours now. I've never been into Bill and nothing's going to change that."

Gustav gave him a smile, not looking hesitant for even a second. He'd finally understood that Georg liked him, and was possibly even falling in love with him, and he now felt confident enough to stop doubting Georg's intentions and feelings. "So what are your plans for me tonight?"

He raised an eyebrow and smiled a little.

Georg returned the smile. "I don't know. But I was thinking about maybe spending a lot of time kissing you, if that's all right with you. We have to make up for all the time we've lost in the past week."

Gustav's smile widened – he had no objections to that plan. "Definitely. I'm in."

He watched Georg open the door when it appeared, and smiled when they got the same room as last time – with a fireplace and a large, comfortable bed. And this time, they didn't even have to worry about falling asleep since they didn't have classes the next morning.

The door closed and Gustav's heart skipped a beat when Georg's strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him flush against Georg. He closed his eyes when Georg's lips brushed his own, and fell into the kiss, sliding his arms around Georg's neck and his fingers into his hair. He tugged at it lightly as they stumbled their way to the bed, and Gustav sucked in a breath when Georg pushed him down onto it and slid on top of him.

He looked up at his _boyfriend_ and gave him a small smile. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Georg said quietly, brushing his fingertips over Gustav's cheek. "More than you can imagine."

He bit his lip for a moment. "Do you think it's a good idea for us to be here? Once I get started, I might not be able to stop…"

Gustav looked up at him, his heart skipping a beat when he understood what Georg was saying. "I want to do whatever you want to do," he whispered, feeling his cheeks flushing again as he stared into the other boy's eyes. As much as he wanted Georg, he wasn't entirely sure if he was ready for more. "But maybe we should take things slowly…"

Georg sighed softly but nodded, running his fingers through Gustav's short curls. "I know. I guess we need some rules, huh? Boundaries, or whatever."

Gustav nodded. "It would probably be better," he agreed.

Georg chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully, then sat up. "Okay, so we'll keep our clothes on, no matter what happens. Or our underwear at least. Or… I don't know, Gustav. You tell me."

Gustav pushed himself up on his elbows. "I think keeping our clothes on sounds like a good idea. Or maybe we should just go on a date and avoid temptation entirely?"

Georg didn't look pleased but he had to admit that it was probably the best idea. "Okay," he said softly. "Then I'm taking you to the kitchen to pick up some Butterbeers, and then we're going down to the lake. It's pretty warm outside tonight, so we should be fine without jackets."

Gustav smiled as he pushed himself up, and even though he would've liked to stay here with Georg forever and get naked and… do things that only thinking about made him blush, but he had to admit that having a little not-quite-midnight picnic would be the better way to go until he was sure he was ready.

***

About an hour later, Georg had to realise that they might as well have stayed in the Room of Requirement. They were on a blanket near the lake, Gustav on his back, Georg by his side and hovering over him as they kissed passionately, their hands wandering all over each other's body. They couldn't seem to help it; the moment they'd sat down, they'd started kissing and things were already getting heated.

Kissing Gustav was like nothing Georg had ever experienced before. While at first, Gustav's kisses had been hesitant and it had been obvious that he'd never kissed anyone before, he was quickly turning into quite the professional. It seemed as if he knew exactly how to touch him and kiss him, and Georg tried hard not to press his erection against Gustav's thigh to give it the friction it desperately needed.

Besides, not only would it probably freak Gustav out; they were also in public. And after his little performance in the Great Hall earlier that evening, it probably wouldn't be a good idea for them to be caught naked and all over each other in – well, not bright daylight, but where everyone could see them. People would be talking about them enough already.

He drew back suddenly, panting heavily as he stared down at the other boy. "God, Gustav," he whispered, and Gustav nodded back.

"I know," he whispered. He cupped Georg's cheeks and pulled him down, sucking Georg's bottom lip into his mouth, which sent a jolt of pleasure straight to Georg's cock.

"Fuck," he hissed, unable to stop himself from pressing his groin against Gustav's leg. "If you keep doing that, I can't be held responsible for what I'll do to you."

Gustav looked up at him with a small smile. "Is that a promise?"

He flushed the moment he'd said those words but Georg stared down at him, impressed. It seemed like Gustav had become much more daring and bold in the week they'd spent apart, and while Georg loved taking things into his own hands when Gustav was too shy to do anything, he couldn't help appreciating Gustav's more open and daring side as well.

"It is, yes," he murmured, leaning in to capture Gustav's lips in another kiss, his erection pulsing in his pants and against Gustav's thigh.

A moment later, he gasped in surprised when he felt a hand sliding between his legs, and he stared down at Gustav. This was the last thing he'd expected the other boy to do and he realised that he'd hugely underestimated Gustav.

He wasn't nearly as shy as he seemed to be.

"What are you doing?" he whispered when Gustav started rubbing his erection through the too-hard, uncomfortable fabric of his pants. "Oh god…"

Gustav smiled up at him; even though his cheeks were still flushed, the look on his face was definitely _not_ innocent. "Touching you," Gustav whispered, and Georg groaned when his erection was squeezed again. "Tell me what you like."

Georg licked his lips, unable to take his eyes off Gustav for even a second – but then he looked down; the sight of Gustav's strong hand wrapped around his clothed erection almost too much for him. "What you're doing is perfect," he answered, biting his lip to stifle a moan when Gustav rubbed his palm against his dick.

He bent down to kiss Gustav again as he started grinding against Gustav's hand, his body taking over. He knew they shouldn't do this – first of all, they'd decided to take things slow, and secondly, they were on a blanket under a tree by the lake where anyone could find them. While his brain knew the right thing to do, his body seemed to have other ideas, and he moaned into Gustav's mouth.

He rubbed his tongue along Gustav's, showing him with his kiss how much he loved what Gustav was doing to him. He slid his own hand down Gustav's side, tugging his shirt out of his pants to slide his hand under said shirt. He stroked Gustav's soft skin gently, not surprised to feel that it was just as hot as his own.

After a moment of hesitation, he slid his hand down between Gustav's legs, mirroring his boyfriend's movements. Gustav gasped into his mouth, using his free hand to cup the back of his neck, deepening the kiss and catching Georg's tongue between his lips. He sucked on it lightly, his eyes fluttering as he looked up at Georg and thrust up against his hand.

The friction he was experiencing was heavenly, but it still wasn't enough.

Breaking the kiss for a moment, Georg looked around, and when he was sure that no one was around, he shifted and moved half on top of Gustav, sliding his leg between Gustav's to press his thigh against Gustav's erection while his own was snugly pressed against Gustav's. He stared down at him, then reached for Gustav's now-free hands, pinning them to the blanket beneath them as he began to grind against him.

"Ohh," Gustav breathed, his voice breaking a little as his eyes fluttered closed and he met Georg's thrusts with his own hips. Georg couldn't seem to control himself; the pressure against his cock, feeling Gustav's body against his own, looking down at his closed eyes, flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips made his body react of its own accord and he thrust down against the other boy helplessly.

He crushed their lips together in another hard kiss as he felt the beginnings of his orgasm coursing through his body. He was tense with arousal and could feel that Gustav couldn't be far behind him either since his breath was coming quickly.

"Georg," Gustav breathed, arching up against him as Georg's body began to shiver. "Oh god…"

Almost at the same time as Gustav, Georg pressed down against him as he came hard, pleasure washing over him. He pressed his face into Gustav's slightly sweaty neck, his moan muffled, while Gustav continued to buck up against him as he rode out his own orgasm.

A few short seconds later, Georg collapsed against him, trying to catch his breath. His whole body was still buzzing with the force of his orgasm and part of him couldn't believe they'd actually done this – and in public! He finally lifted his head and stared down at Gustav in wonder, shaking his head almost unnoticeably.

"That was amazing," he whispered, getting a cheeky grin in return.

"It was," Gustav agreed, running a hand over his hair and sucking in a long, deep breath. "I guess our plan didn't entirely work out, did it?"

He grinned and Georg laughed as he rolled off Gustav, lying on his back beside the other boy and staring up at the dark, starry night sky. "Not entirely, no."

He turned his head and looked at Gustav, giving him a smile. "But I don't regret it. It was perfect."

Gustav smiled back at him, the tips of his ears blushing a bit. "Neither do I. I still…" He shook his head, then rolled onto his side, looking into Georg's eyes. "I still can't believe you really want me – and no, you don't have to do anything else to prove it. It's just… hard to believe that I finally have you after wanting you for so long."

Georg eyed him thoughtfully, then moved onto his side as well, facing Gustav. "Why didn't you say something before? I mean… okay, I get why you didn't. You were worried I'd say no, or whatever. I just… wish I'd seen you sooner."

Gustav slid his hand over Georg's, lacing their fingers, as he nodded. "Me too. But better late than never, huh?"

Georg had to agree, and gave him a sweet smile. "You're right about that," he admitted.

He shifted a little and grimaced. "I'm all sticky."

He reached for his wand and sat up, performing a quick _Scourgify_ on both of them, then sighing in relief when the sticky come was removed from inside his boxers. "Better."

He lay back down and looked at Gustav with a smile, just letting the sensations and his ever-growing feelings for Gustav take over.

***

It was past midnight when Gustav finally made his way back to his common room. He was almost floating through the corridors as he repeated the events of the night over and over in his head; he'd never felt this light and happy before. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't look where he was going, and ran into someone just as he was about to round a corner.

"Oh!" he breathed. "Sorry. I-"

He trailed off when he realised who it was he'd run into.

Bill.

He swallowed hard and stared back at the other boy – unable to just walk away, say something insulting or reach for his wand to hex him into oblivion – even though Bill deserved it.

"Oh hey," Bill slurred, giving him a lopsided grin.

Gustav raised his eyebrows when he smelled the alcohol on the other boy's breath; apparently Bill had drunk a little more than he should have.

"What're you doin' in the dunshons?" Bill blinked, then frowned. "Dungeons, I mean."

Gustav took a look around and raised his brows. "We're not in the dungeons."

Bill frowned in confusion, then took a look around, swaying dangerously on his feet. "Oh. That explains why I can't find my common room. Guess I must've lost my way then."

He smirked, then leaned forward and Gustav pressed his hand against the other boy's chest to steady him. "You must have, yes."

Bill sighed heavily, his eyes widening as he looked at Gustav. "You're still mad at me, aren't you?"

Gustav stared at him. "Why wouldn't I be? You tried to separate me and Georg and said some truly terrible things to me. That's not something I can forgive that easily."

Bill sighed heavily and leaned against Gustav, resting his head on his shoulder as he tried to steady himself. Gustav raised his brows but didn't pull away. As mad as he was at Bill, he wasn't going to just let him fall, hit his head on the hard stone floor and bleed out. He wanted Bill to suffer the same pain as he had – but he wasn't _that_ cruel.

"I'm sorry," Bill murmured. "I don't have a problem with you, you know? I just wanted Georg. You're actually pretty nice, but you were flirting with my man and I didn't like it."

He glanced up at Gustav, and Gustav sighed. "First of all, he's not your man. And that still didn't give you the right to hurt me like that. I mean, you're Bill Kaulitz. You can have anyone. Why would you want Georg when he clearly isn't interested in you?"

Bill sighed. "I get insecure too, you know? Not often but… rejection isn't great for anyone. And I was convinced Georg wanted me, so… I got insecure when he said no to me. I'm not always this confident. That's why I knew how I could hurt you. But I'm sorry. I realise now that nothing can get you two apart, so… you can have him."

Gustav looked at him for a moment and sighed when he saw Bill's pout and big, innocent eyes. That boy definitely knew how to manipulate people. Gustav wanted to stay angry at him but finally gave in and sighed. "Fine. I forgive you. But stay away from him now, all right?"

Bill nodded eagerly. "I will. Promise."

Gustav managed a smile, then helped Bill stand up straight. Bill looked around with a frown, then smiled. "So, uh… you wouldn't possibly be able to point me in the direction of my common room, would you?"

He gave him a wide smile, and Gustav snorted. "Maybe I should just take you there."

Bill smiled. "Would you? That would be so _sweet_ of you! Thank you!"

Gustav grinned and shook his head, then brought Bill back where he belonged.

He doubted they could ever be friends, but he was glad everything was cleared up. If Bill could be trusted, then he'd finally stay away from Georg, and Gustav didn't have anything to worry about.

At least until the next sneaky Slytherin came along and tried to steal his boyfriend away from him…

But Gustav was sure Georg wanted him now. He wasn't going to leave him for someone else. And if anyone did try to get between them, he would fight.

Georg was _his_.


	9. Chapter 9

Gustav blinked when the first thing he saw as he exited his common room the next morning, was Georg's smile. He grinned and sighed happily as he made his way over to his _boyfriend_ ; he couldn't imagine a better way to start his day than to be kissed by Georg. Just thinking about the kiss made him tingly and happy, and he barely stopped himself from pouncing.

He wrapped his arms around the other boy and looked into his eyes. "Hi," he said shyly, his stomach fluttering when Georg rested his hands on his sides.

"Hey you," Georg said back, returning the smile as he leaned forward and kissed Gustav warmly. Gustav tilted his face up to answer the kiss, sighing into it and playing with a strand of Georg's hair.

Georg drew back too soon and Gustav couldn't suppress a pout. "Can't we just go to the Room of Requirement and skip classes today?" he mused, making Georg laugh.

"Look at you," he said with a grin. "The boy who was shocked at the idea of skipping classes only about a week ago now suggests it? I'm proud of you. And worried. I seem to have a bad influence on you."

Gustav grinned and shrugged. "I'm not as innocent as you might think I am."

Georg's eyebrows shot up, and it was Gustav's turn to laugh. He waggled his eyebrows, then grinned as he reached for Georg's hand, lacing their fingers.

"So," Georg said after he'd processed that statement. "Are you ready to face this?"

"Face what?" Gustav asked, distracted by the cute little dimples in Georg's cheeks. Why was he so beautiful? It wasn't fair – and highly distractive.

"Everyone? The other students? We kind of stunned them last night with my little declaration, and leaving the hall hand-in-hand, remember?"

Gustav blinked. "Oh… yeah. Right. Sure. I'm ready. I have nothing to hide. I lo- _like_ you and I want everyone to know."

He flushed a little when he realised he'd almost slipped and said 'love', which Georg might not be ready for. But maybe someday, he would be able to let Georg know just how much he meant to him.

"Are _you_ ready?" Gustav asked, looking up at the other boy. "I mean… I know this is new for you, and if you need more time, then I totally underst-"

Georg pressed two fingers to Gustav's lips to silence him and gave him a smile. "I'm ready. I wouldn't have done what I did last night if I wasn't. I want everyone to know you're mine."

A warm feeling spread in Gustav's stomach. "I am yours, huh?"

Georg reached for Gustav's other hand and pulled him closer, leaning forward to kiss his nose. "Yes. You are."

Gustav grinned, unable to hide his happiness – and why should he? He had the most wonderful boy in the world, who referred to _him_ as 'mine', and things seemed to be finally working out for him.

Georg squeezed his hand, and they started walking to the Great Hall in relative silence.

"So," Gustav said after a moment, needing to distract himself from the looks they got on their way to breakfast. It didn't bother him, exactly, but it was still unusual to suddenly be the centre of attention when no one had ever looked at him before. "I ran into Bill last night."

Georg tensed visibly, his hand tightening around Gustav's. "What did he do _now_?"

Gustav waved it off. "Oh, no. Nothing. He was drunk and actually kind of pleasant. I took him back to his dorm because he couldn't find the way, and…" He paused. "I think he actually apologised? And said he likes me? It was weird but… kind of nice."

Georg raised his brows. "Oh. Huh. Well then." He paused. "He was in our dorm this morning."

"He was?" Gustav blinked, then shrugged. "He must've gone back there after I brought him to the dungeons."

Georg nodded, then turned silent as they approached the Great Hall. He took a deep breath and turned to him, giving him a long kiss in front of the doors. They finally went inside, ignoring the looks they got, and focusing on each other.

***

Three weeks later, no one even blinked when they saw Georg and Gustav walking around hand-in-hand, or sharing intimate kisses between classes. They had been the talk of the school for about a week, but eventually, people had moved on and come to accept them.

Not everyone, of course. There was a multitude of girls who seemed to have a hard time accepting that _the_ most handsome boy at school who also happened to be the Gryffindor Star Seeker seemed to play for the other team now. Some even went as far as to crawl naked into Georg's bed to wait for him, clearly convinced that, when faced with a fine pair of naked boobs, Georg wouldn't be able to resist – but Georg wasn't even tempted. He politely sent them away, letting them know that he was taken and only interested in one person anymore: Gustav.

Gustav, on the other hand, missed most of this. He was floating around in his happy bubble, and even after three weeks, he still couldn't seem to wrap his mind around the fact that he _had_ Georg. Sometimes it just seemed to be too good to be true, and he worried that he'd lose him somehow, but when Georg looked at him with those honest green eyes of his, it was obvious that he wasn't going to leave Gustav on a whim.

Of course, they couldn't be sure that it would last forever, but it certainly felt that way right now.

Even though they'd agreed to take things slowly and wait with the physical, sexual part of their relationship until they knew each other better, it was often hard to resist. When they started kissing, both of them had a hard time keeping their hands off each other, and innocent make-out sessions always quickly turned into more.

They did however manage to keep their clothes on for a couple of months after they first got together, and Gustav thought they could be proud of themselves for that.

But he was ready for more now, and was quite sure that Georg felt the same way. They didn't talk about it openly, but unless Gustav was completely mistaken, there was a sort-of silent agreement between them, that this weekend, it would happen.

The school year was slowly coming to an end, and they both had their last exam that Friday afternoon. Tonight, they would meet in the Room of Requirement, and Gustav just had a premonition that it would happen then. And he was ready.

He couldn't _wait_ to finally be with Georg. He'd fantasised about it for years, and finally, it would happen.

***

"How did it go?" Georg asked when they found themselves in the Room of Requirement that evening. There was a certain tension between them that made Gustav even more sure that they would go all the way tonight – or at least be naked. His heart was racing already – not because he was worried about it; just excited.

"Pretty well," he said softly, referring to the exam. "I think I aced it."

Georg smiled. "Good. I'm not so sure about mine; I was kind of distracted."

Gustav's brow furrowed in worry and he bit his lip. "You were? Why?"

Georg looked at him with a warm smile for a long moment, then put his hand on Gustav's thigh. "Because I couldn't stop thinking about you, and tonight."

Gustav's cheeks flushed and a wide smile spread on his lips as that statement sunk in. Georg might have failed an exam because of him.

Which was not good, but… it was still flattering that Georg thought about him that much.

"I'm sure you did fine," he said softly, his heart speeding up when Georg kicked off his shoes and leaned over to slide an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. He let him, and looked into Georg's eyes, his breath speeding up. "Georg, are we…"

Georg rubbed his nose against Gustav's, his hand slowly moving up and down his back. "If you're ready," he whispered, and Gustav's heart skipped a beat.

"I am," he whispered. "I want you. I just…"

Georg nodded. "I know," he murmured. "We'll take it slowly, okay? It'll be perfect."

Gustav couldn't suppress a little smile, and nodded. "Okay."

He tilted his head to the side and looked into Georg's eyes when the other boy leaned forward and kissed him. Gustav's eyes fluttered closed and he tightened his arms around Georg's neck when Georg lowered him onto the bed, never breaking the kiss. Georg's tongue brushed his bottom lip and Gustav let out a needy little whimper, his body already reacting to Georg's touches.

The kiss quickly became more sensual and passionate; the hunger in it obvious to both of them. Gustav's hands moved their way down Georg's back, fumbling with his shirt as he tried to tug it out of his trousers to slip his hands under it, needing to touch him. He finally managed and trailed his hands up his boyfriend's back, sighing softly at the feel of warm, soft skin and hard muscles flexing beneath his fingertips.

Meanwhile, Georg was busy unbuttoning Gustav's shirt, and Gustav only had a couple of seconds to feel self-conscious about his body before Georg broke the kiss and looked down at him. Gustav blushed and glanced up at him nervously, watching Georg's face for indications about Georg's thoughts about his body.

The only thing reflected in Georg's eyes, however, was hunger and affection, and Gustav hardened in his pants when he saw that possessive look on his lover's face. It was incredible that Georg liked him that much, and clearly found him attractive, and Gustav couldn't wait to show Georg just how gorgeous he thought _he_ was.

He cupped the back of Georg's neck and pulled him down for a surprisingly hard kiss. He moaned when Georg trailed his hands down his chest and belly, then worked his way up again to rub his nipples lightly, something that felt so intense that Gustav's body arched up into the touch of its own accord.

He pulled Georg down on top of him, smiling when the other boy let out a breathy moan. Their cocks were pressed together now; the friction felt amazing, even though they were both still clothed from the waist down. Georg started moving against him, slowly grinding his hips against Gustav's, making him even harder than he'd been before.

He wondered if they'd even _get_ to the sex because right now, he felt like he was about to burst any second. _That_ brought on a minor panic attack – what if he came too early and embarrassed himself? But a moment later, he relaxed, knowing that Georg wouldn't laugh – or mind. They had all night.

They lost themselves in the kiss and frantic thrusting while their hands tried to reach every part of the other's body. Gustav was panting by the time Georg finally reached down and undid his pants, tugging them down and releasing his cock to the comfortably warm air of the room.

Gustav wriggled out of his pants, then looked up at Georg, flushing once again when he realised that he was now completely naked, and Georg completely dressed. Which was just wrong.

He reversed their positions swiftly, not giving Georg a second to protest, and straddled Georg to hastily unbutton his shirt. He looked down at him hungrily, staring at Georg's abs, tracing them reverently with the tips of his fingers. How long had he wanted to see and touch this body… He didn't even remember.

He lost himself in the beauty that was Georg, then was pulled back to reality abruptly when Georg's hand wrapped around his cock and began stroking him. Gustav's eyes widened minimally and he moaned, letting his head fall back as he took a moment to enjoy. Georg's hand on him felt beyond anything he could've ever imagined.

He touched himself, of course – almost every night – but had never been able to imagine how fucking fantastic it would feel to have someone else's hand on him – least of all Georg's. He'd tried to imagine it, of course, and it had given him a few amazing orgasms, but the real thing was _so_ much better than anything his imagination could've ever come up with.

"Ohhh," he moaned, his hips thrusting forward of their own accord as Georg's hand slowly moved up and down on his length, squeezing him and giving him a tiny little twist at the end that made Gustav's head spin.

After a moment, he managed to focus back on the matter at hand – which was that Georg still had far too many clothes on. He opened his trousers and slid his hand inside, gasping when he felt the heat and hardness – and slight dampness – of Georg's cock through his boxers.

Reluctantly, he removed Georg's hand from his own cock and pulled the other boy's trousers down, then surprised himself by leaning forward to mouth Georg's erection through the thin fabric of his boxers.

Georg let out a surprised but appreciative moan, arching up into Gustav's mouth and reaching down to tangle his fingers in Gustav's short curls. "Oh god," he murmured, pushing himself up on his elbows. "Gustav…"

Gustav glanced up, smiling at the intent look on Georg's face. No one had ever looked at him that way before, and it sent a thrill through his entire body that Georg, of all people, was this hard for him.

"So beautiful," he murmured as he leaned forward to press his lips against Georg's stomach, circling his bellybutton with the tip of his tongue. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Georg's chest, needing a moment to control himself because just kissing Georg like this was almost enough to make him come right then and there.

Finally, he managed to get himself under control and kissed Georg's chest, sucking one of his perfect little nipples into his mouth. He sucked on it, smiling when it hardened in his mouth, and grazed his teeth over it, sighing softly. He looked up at Georg, blushing a bit when the other boy was staring back at him intently. "Hm?"

Georg smiled, shaking his head. "Nothing," he whispered. "I'm just happy to be here with you."

He touched his cheek and Gustav melted a little. As if it wasn't enough for Georg to be beautiful, smart, funny, incredibly nice and sexy, he was also clearly a total romantic, and every minute Gustav spent with him, he fell more in love with him.

He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Georg's lips, staring into his eyes. "I'm happy to be with _you_ ," he whispered back.

Georg smiled, stroking Gustav's hair back. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Gustav nodded – not hesitating for a second. "More than ready. I want you."

Georg licked his lips and cupped Gustav's cheeks, pulling him into a hard, needy kiss. Gustav managed to slide his hands down to finally pull off Georg's boxers, and lowered himself on top of Georg when they were both naked.

The first contact of their cocks, pressed together snugly, made them both moan and cling to each other, and they proceeded to rub against each other slowly at first, then more frantically. His cock was leaking, and so was Georg's, and his body literally demanded to have Georg inside of him.

"Georg," he breathed, moaning when he ground down against him again. "Need you."

Georg didn't have to be told twice; he flipped them over easily, straddling Gustav's hips. Gustav suddenly realised just how _strong_ Georg was, and fuck, it was hot. He looked up at him, panting heavily.

Georg leaned forward, pressing soft kisses against his neck and nibbling his collarbone before brushing a kiss over his lips. Then he lifted himself off Gustav, and Gustav used that opportunity to spread his legs wide, all shame and self-consciousness suddenly gone. When he noticed the hungry look in Georg's eyes, he smiled a little and reached down, wrapping his hand around his own cock and stroking himself slowly, very aware that Georg's eyes never left his body.

Georg leaned over the bed and reached for his wand, murmuring a spell – for lubrication, apparently, because a moment later, he was slicking his fingers and moving to kneel between Gustav's legs.

Gustav's heart sped up when Georg brushed gentle fingers over his crack, getting him used to the touch. His eyes fluttered closed and he moaned when one of Georg's fingers gently pressed against his opening. He tensed for a moment but then relaxed, biting his lip when Georg pushed past the first ring of muscles, and slid two fingers inside of him.

It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. He'd experimented on himself, of course, but knowing that this was _Georg_ who was slowly moving his fingers back and forth made the whole experience all the more intense. The urge to keep his eyes closed was strong, but he wanted to see Georg.

The look on the other boy's face almost made him come; Georg looked so… fascinated; entranced, almost. His fingers moved steadily in and out of him, preparing him for what was to come. Gustav gripped the sheets, then moaned out loud when Georg brushed something inside of him that made him arch up and almost come off the bed. It was pure pleasure, and Gustav couldn't stop himself from looking up at Georg like he was a God or something.

To him, he was.

After getting him more than ready, Georg pulled his fingers out and slicked his cock with the conjured lube, positioning himself between his legs a moment later. They stared into each other's eyes, and Gustav slid his legs over Georg's thighs, wrapping them around his waist.

"Please," he whispered, not even caring that he was begging – he _needed_ Georg.

"Are you-"

"I'm sure," Gustav said, interrupting Georg. He cupped the other boy's cheeks and stared into his eyes. "I've never been surer about anything in my life before. I've dreamed about this moment for years, and… I want it, Georg. I want _you_. I trust you."

Georg's tongue darted out to wet his dry lips, and he gave a wordless nod. Gustav looked at him curiously, then tilted his face up again. "Are _you_ ready?"

Georg met his eyes, biting his lip. "I am," he whispered. "I guess I'm just… afraid of hurting you."

Gustav found himself once again melting and looked up at the other boy adoringly. He gave Georg a little smile, which he hoped was reassuring, and shook his head. "You won't. I'll stop you if you do, okay? But it'll be fine. I want this, even if it does hurt."

Georg raised a brow, and Gustav couldn't suppress a chuckle. "No, I'm not into pain, but… no matter what it feels like, it'll be perfect. Because it's you."

Apparently, it was Georg's turn to melt, and Gustav gave him a sweet smile. He kissed Georg's lips, then reached down, positioning Georg's cock at his entrance. His eyes fluttered and he moaned at the feel of the slick tip of Georg's cock pressed against him; he'd never needed or wanted anything more than Georg at the moment.

"Push," he whispered. "And relax, Georg. It'll be perfect. I promise."

He cupped Georg's cheek with his free hand and pulled him down for a long, slow kiss, and Georg's confidence seemed to be back. He pushed in slowly, one hand on Gustav's hip, the other in his hair.

"Ohhh." Gustav let out a long moan when Georg breached him; it did hurt, just a little, but it was a good kind of pain. The kind of pain he could definitely handle, and even like. He let his legs fall to the sides, knees still bent as he pushed back against Georg. He tensed a little but relaxed then, making Georg slide in the rest of the way.

"Fuck," he whispered, panting heavily against Georg's shoulder, holding onto his shoulders as he wrapped his legs back around him, pulling him in as much as possible; keeping him trapped. "Fuck, you feel so good. Are you okay?"

Georg licked his lips and nodded. "Tight. Just… really tight."

He lifted his head and looked down at Gustav who gave him a breathless smile. "Move."

After taking a deep breath, Georg did. After a few awkward, uncoordinated thrusts, they fell into a rhythm that was perfect for both of them. Gustav tilted his hips up to meet each one of Georg's thrusts, a soft gasp escaping him whenever Georg slammed in. Sweaty skin slid against each other as they moved, Gustav's heels digging into Georg's calves, his fingers buried in the other boy's back. Every time Georg moved forward, Gustav's cock, trapped between their bodies, was squeezed, and his head was spinning from all the pleasure.

Nothing had ever felt this perfect; and he felt like he was right where he belonged.

It was the most incredible feeling in the world.

"Close," Georg murmured after a while, lifting his head to kiss Gustav again. Gustav answered the kiss, knowing he wouldn't last much longer. The intensity of everything he was feeling came rushing towards him. Georg broke the kiss again and nuzzled his neck, then sucked on it. His teeth grazed Gustav's sensitive skin and sent him over the edge; he felt his orgasm being ripped out of him, and he shuddered as he came hard, spurting all over his stomach.

A moment later, Georg tensed, thrust forward again and came as well, buried deep inside Gustav.

They stayed like that for a moment before Georg's arms gave out and he collapsed on top of Gustav, panting heavily. "Oh god… Fuck, that was beyond… _God_."

Gustav smiled, trailing lazy kisses up and down Georg's neck and stroking his back as they both caught their breaths and came down from the high of their orgasms.

Much too soon for Gustav's taste, Georg slid out of him, rolling off him, and after a quick _Scourgify_ , he snuggled back into him. His arm was draped over Gustav's chest rather possessively, and when Gustav turned his head, he saw a look in Georg's eyes he'd never seen before.

He wasn't sure what it was – but found out a moment later, when Georg whispered, "I love you."

For a moment, Gustav's heart stopped and he had trouble breathing. He'd thought he was prepared to hear it but once again, he'd been wrong. His heart skipped a beat as he rolled over onto his side, never breaking the eye contact.

"I just," Georg continued, looking a bit worried when Gustav didn't reply right away, "You don't need to say it back, okay? I just… I love you, and I have for a while. And this… was so incredible. Nothing's ever felt like this before, and…" He shook his head and shrugged. "I love you."

Gustav's cheeks flushed and for a moment, he tried to suppress the happy smile from breaking free, but then just gave up, wrapped his arm around Georg and kissed him hard, letting him feel the whole depth of his feelings for him. "I love you too," he whispered against his lips. "I never want to be with anyone else. You're… you're _everything_."

They kissed again, their arms and legs entangled, bodies pressed flush together. When Gustav finally pulled back, he realised he was close to tears. He rubbed his eyes and gave Georg a smile, then took a deep breath and nestled closer into the other boy's body.

Long, sappy stares and lazy, loving kisses followed.

Gustav had to smirk when he realised how his next diary entry would sound; like a kitschy, smutty romance novel. But he didn't care. Georg was perfect, and Gustav felt better about himself than he ever had before. Georg completed him in a way he'd never thought possible. They obviously made each other happy, and if someone didn't like it… well. It wasn't Gustav's problem.

As long as he had Georg, everything was good.


	10. Chapter 10

The end of the school year was always a busy time, and Gustav had to reluctantly stop himself from making Georg his primary focus, and concentrate on studying and exams instead. But rather than having to sit alone in his room like every other year, he and Georg had decided to study together, which was a nice compromise. Now, Gustav could look at Georg _and_ study at the same time.

Time passed quickly, and soon, the End of the Year Feast was over, they had packed their bags and were back on the Hogwarts Express on their way home. Gustav leaned against Georg while across from them, the twins were busy discussing who they had to invite to their mansion and where they would spend their summer holidays.

Gustav glanced out of the window, idly playing with long strands of Georg's hair and wondering what would happen to them. Georg had promised that they would see each other during the holidays; that Gustav was free to visit him whenever he wanted to, and Gustav had extended the same invitation to Georg.

But still… Georg was going to spend two weeks in the south of France, and what if he met someone else? What if he fell in love with some gorgeous French guy and immediately forgot about him?

Of course, the bigger part of him knew that that wasn't going to happen. He knew Georg loved him now, and that their feelings for each other could definitely survive this, even if they didn't see each other for a couple of months. But part of him still wondered…

A poke brought him back to reality, and he looked at Georg curiously. "Hm?"

"They're making out again," Georg murmured against his shoulder, nodding his head in the twins' direction.

Gustav looked over at them and raised a brow as he watched Bill practically climb on top of Tom and stick his tongue into his brother's throat, and snorted. "So? Let them."

Georg bit his lip. "They look like they're going to have sex soon, and I'm scarred enough as it is. Did I tell you that-"

"Yes," Gustav interrupted him, chuckling. "You did tell me about your scarring experience of catching them in flagrante. I know it was terribly disturbing for you, but… they won't go there right now. Right guys?"

Bill made a non-committal moan, and Gustav sighed. "See? We're safe."

"Right," Georg snorted, then rested his head on Gustav's shoulder and nuzzled him. "You look thoughtful. Everything okay?"

"Sure," Gustav replied, nodding. "I just… worry."

"About us?"

Gustav hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. I know – I just can't help it. What if you forget about me?"

Georg looked up at him, then pushed himself up and cupped Gustav's cheeks. "Gusti, I wouldn't be able to forget about you if I tried. My heart belongs to you, and it'll still belong to you in two months. Besides, we _are_ going to see each other. I promise."

Gustav bit his lip. "You do?"

"I do," Georg confirmed, smiling when Gustav relaxed.

"So I'm going to meet your parents?" Gustav continued.

Georg nodded. "Yep. And I'm going to introduce you as my boyfriend and the love of my life."

Gustav grinned when a warm feeling spread in his belly. "You are?"

"Yes." Georg nodded. "I am."

Gustav sighed happily, relaxing as he leaned against Georg again, feeling reassured. He knew that this feeling of certainty probably wouldn't last for more than a few minutes; then he would have to ask Georg to tell him how much he loved him all over again, but for now, he was good.

He looked back over at the twins and smiled to himself. He knew he'd only played a small part in helping them figure out their feelings for each other – or more specifically, Tom's feelings for Bill – but he was glad they'd figured it out and were very obviously more than happy now that they had each other in every sense of the word. He hadn't expected them to make out quite so openly, but couldn't blame them either.

In fact…

He grabbed Georg's tie and pulled him close, planting a gentle kiss on his lips.

"What was that for?" Georg raised his brows and looked utterly pleased.

Gustav shrugged. "Just for being you."

***

Hours later, they got notice that the train would arrive at King's Cross in ten minutes and all four of them started packing their bags and getting ready.

"Farewell, my friends," Bill sighed as he fell back onto his seat, and Georg groaned.

Gustav, who was rummaging through his bag, looked up. "Hmm?"

Georg shook his head. "Nothing. Bill just always throws these long speeches at the end of each year, and I was frankly hoping he and Tom would be too busy making out for him to remember it."

Gustav grinned and turned back to his bag, while Bill huffed.

"You've never really appreciated me, Georg," he informed the other boy. "I'm glad I've found someone who loves me way more, and completely unconditionally."

He petted Tom's hair and leaned against him, then eyed Georg. "Oh, and by the way? It would never have worked out between us."

He shook his head, a sad expression on his face. Then he went on, "But anyway. Let's recap. This year was, after all, very eventful. You guys found each other, we found each other, I played a prank on Potter and Malfoy, and, not to forget, we all passed our end of the year exams and will be in Seventh Year next year. How great is _that_?"

He paused, then added, "And, of course, I found a few real friends. I never thought I'd end up liking a Hufflepuff, but… you're pretty cool, Gustav."

Gustav looked up and smiled, then frowned as he turned back to his bag, a little too preoccupied to realise that Bill didn't often gave these compliments.

Georg frowned curiously and raised a brow. "Hey you. Everything all right?"

Gustav finally gave up and sighed as he flopped back down on his seat, looking miserably. "I can't find my diary."

The three other boys were silent for a second, then burst out laughing simultaneously, making Gustav fold his arms over his chest and scowl. "It's not funny!"

"Yes, it is," Bill giggled. "You keep losing it! How do you do that?"

Gustav shrugged. "I don't know. But honestly – it's not funny. God knows where it is."

Georg smiled, smoothing a few of Gustav's curls between his fingers and kissing his temple. "Does it really matter? Maybe it's time for a new diary, hm?"

Gustav bit his lip, then finally looked up at Georg and couldn't help but smile. "Maybe you're right," he said softly. "My days of pining for you are over, after all. Maybe I should get a new one."

He leaned against Georg, smiling when the other boy kissed his forehead. He glanced out of the window as the train slowed down, announcing their arrival at King's Cross. Gustav thought back to his year, realising not for the first time that it was the most eventful one of all his years at Hogwarts. Not only had he found new friends and pretty much gotten over his shyness, he'd shared his first kiss and his first time with the boy he loved.

Every summer so far, he'd always dreaded going back to Hogwarts, but this time, he was looking forward to it and couldn't wait to see what his seventh year at Hogwarts would bring.

***

The halls and corridors of Hogwarts looked slightly spooky now that they were devoid of students. The silence was deafening, and the pale moonlight shining through the windows was the only source of light. Everyone had left; the castle was completely empty, except for the occasional ghost floating through the walls.

Suddenly, quiet footsteps sounded through the halls, and a soft 'meow' indicated that the ghosts weren't the only people present after all.

"What have you found me, Mrs Norris?" a quiet voice asked, and the old man bent down to pick up the journal while the cat who'd drawn his attention to the book in question, circled his feet. "A diary, hmm? How interesting. Let's have a look at it and see if we can find any reason to get someone expelled, shall we, Mrs Norris?"

The cat looked up at its master, her mouth practically curling into a smirk as she followed Argus Filch back to their room.

And once again, Gustav's diary had fallen into the hands of someone he really didn't want to read his most private thoughts.


End file.
